

Qr'^ 



i^ 



DDDD'^ETbHSl 



HoUingCT Corp. 
pH8.5 




How TO Propagate/Grow Frdit. 



B"^ 0H:^S. J^. 3-REH33Sr. 



Editor of Green's Fruit Grower. 
EiO CHESTER, ZSr. TT. 



'^^rJi^S^^ 



Two Colored Plates. Over Fifty Illustrations. 



COPYRIGHT 1885. 



INDKX. 



Advice to Beginners i6 

Berry Harvest 30 

Budding Instructions n 

Boys on the Farm 13 

Bones, Ashes, etc 60 

Blackberry Culture 43 

Blackberries 12 

Cultivation and Training 5 

Certainties of Fruit Culture 24 

Currant Culture 43 

Evaporating Fruit 61 

Fall Planting 54 

Fruit house. - 57 

Forms of Trees 59 

Grafting 12 

Grape Culture - 42 

Grape Talk . , 46 

Gooseberry Culture 43 

Grape Culture 62 

How I Began Fruit Growing 16 

He Knew it All 18 

How to Winter Trees ■. 22 

How Farmers Should Begin 23 

How to Make Money 27 

Hudson River Vines 34 

Hints for Evaporators 58 

How to Hold the Boys 58 

Insects Injurious 10 Fruit 26 

Irrigation 58 

Location of Fruit Gardens 18 

Laying Out a Fruit Farm 19 

Labels rs 

Marketing Fruits 31 

lanuring Trees 35 

Mai-lboro Raspberry 32 

Making PrJ3j?a£;ating Beds 30 

Manures, by i^rof. Caldv^ell 48 

Manures and Application 50 

Propagation — General Rules.. 2 

Propagating Strawberries 3 

Propagating Black Rasperries 3 

Propagating Red Raspberries 4 

Propjigating Blackberries 5 

Propagating Currants 5 

Propagating Gooseberries 6 

Propagating Grapes 6 

Propagating the Quince 9 

Propagating Peach, Apricot, etc 9 

Propagating Plum and Cherry 9 

Propagating the Pear 10 



PAGE. 

Propagating the Apple lo 

Propagating by Cuttings 10 

Profits of Fruit Growing 20 

Possibilities and Conditions 25 

Preservation of Fruits 63 

Prices of Fruits 63 

Pear Orchard 64 

Plants by Mail 64 

Potted Plants 33 

Pears 46 & 57 

Profits of Raspberries 57 

Planting Waste Places jq 

Plum Talk 46 

Pruning the Vine 52 

Peach Culture 40 

Pear Culture 41 

Plum Culture 42 

Questions Answered 36 

Quince Culture 42 

Rules for Berry Pickers 30 

Remedies for Insects 26 

Raspberry Culture 43 

Raspberry Talk 47 

Raspberry Farming 53 

Raspberries for Market 44 

Story of the Weeds 2 

Season for Planting 19 

Small Fruit Culture 55 

Strawberry Worm 60 

Strawberry Talk 47 

Strawberry Culture 43 

Strawberries — Advice 44 

The City Garden 19 

Transplanting Directions 21 

Transplanting Trees 19 

1 ransplanting 22 

Transportation of Fruits sx 

Uncertainties 24 

Useful Implements 62 

Underdraining 49 

Varieties, Selection of 23 & 42 

Visit Fruit Farms 32 

Varieties of Pears 48 

What Poor Men Should Do 23 

Walk and Talk 62 

Watering Trees 56 

Wood Ashes , . 60 

Yard Manure 60 




ABC 

Grape Vine set. 
First Summer. 
Winter pruned. 



D E F 

D. Second Summer. 

E. Winter pruned. 

F. Laid on wire third 

Spring. 




G. Growth the third summer ; i8 clusters; J^ full crop. 
H . Winter pruned , third winter. 



^S^ 




I J 

I. Growth the fourth summer; 36 clusters; % full crop. 
J. Winter pruned, fourth winter. 

ONION * AOV. OO'f PRINT, HOOMESTEN. N. Y. 



Growth the fifth summer, in full bearing; 4JI 
clusters, full crop, perfect fruit. 



t"'.- ''L 



^t> 



^ 



% 





JOHN A. WARDER. 



JOHN J. THOMAS. 





CHARLES DOWNING. 



HON. MARSHAL P. WILDER. 



FSTHERS OF BMERICKN POMOLOGY. 



No one can enjoy our Fine Fruits, or write about tinenn, without beconning indebted to Patrick 

Barry, Charles Downing, John J. Thomas, Hon. Marshal P. Wilder, John A. 

Warder, and other Fathers of American Pomology. 



GENERAL RULES. 




Story of the Weeds. 



One day some 
seeds, that my 
father had plowed 
under fifty years 
gbefore, found them- 
selves turned up by 
the ploughshare 
where they could 
feel the warm sun- 
shine. They were 
,|p^ so happy they burst 
^i^ their sides with 
laughter, and 
sprouted up thick 
and fast. Finding 
them in the field 
which had been previously engaged by the 
raspberries, for their own special and undi- 
vided use, I started the cultivator rooting 
them up right and left, and burying many 
more. " What a shame," cried the weeds, 
" to fight us thus in our infancy, before we 
have harmed you. You should wait until 
"we are big enough to defend ourselves. 
Take somebody of your own size, can't 
you?" 

Later in the season I found the weeds 
crowing lustily under the shade of the ber- 
ries. Again I set the cultivator at work. 
"Ha, ha, ha !" screamed the weeds, "you 
can't hurt us now. Our big roots have 
grasped the soil firmly. If you dislodge us 
we will take fresh root and begin again, 
and if you kill a few our seeds will spring 
up and take revenge. Scrape away, old fel- 
low, we rather enjoy it. 

As the fall frosts began to gather, and 
the weeds had folded their doors for a snug 
winter, I again found them camped about 
in social communities. Now my turn had 
come. "Get out," says I, "or I will put 
you out. I have endured your intrusions 
long enough. You have robbed my plants 
of their food and water, you have made 
nesting places for mice, you have caught 
in my clothes and filled the tails of my 
horses. You have reigned supreme in this 
farm for a generation. Now your kingdom 
has fallen. I will have no more of you. 
Scatter, expire, vanish." But they only 
chuckled in their tents, for they had often 
heard such talk before, and the previous 
proprietor did not think it worth while to 
molest them at this late season, thinking 
they had done their worst. " Ho, you, 
Tom, Jack and Jerry, bring out the great 
winged shovel-ploughs. Hitch to each the 
strongest horse ; run through those rows 
until every w^eed is uprooted." Forthwith 
I heard the steel shares grinding in the soil. 
The battle had begun. Then came the I 



groans and shrieks of the dead and dying. 
Thousands upon thousands perished upon 
that bloody field. "Give us quarter," 
shouted a big weed that had hid himself in 
vain close by a plant, "would you slaughter 
us in cold blood after all our struggles, 
when the winter is at hand and we cannot 
work to replace your mutilations? When 
the frost will bite us, exposed and naked, 
and leave us dead as the stubble?" But 
the end had come, and he fell with his 
companions in one common tomb. 



HOW TO PROPAGATE. 



General Rules. 




Everybody should learn how to propagate 
fruits. When you buy a rare plant for 
your garden you may increase it to a hun- 
.dred in a short time by giving it a little at- 
tention, and if you do not desire the increase 
yourself you can do your friends a favor 
by placing such gems in their garden.' The 
professional fruit grower especially needs 
all possible information on this subject. 
His success depends on his having the im- 
proved varieties, and as he can get a large 
supply at an early date by rapidly multiply- 
ing them, he should ever be on the alert. 
When a new variety is introduced, we have 
often heard people say, ' ' When the price 
gets low, I will buy." But the price usual- 
ly keeps up for two or three years. Now 
supposing it is a new red raspberry, and 
you buy one plant for one dollar when 
first offered. You plant in the richest soil 
possible, manure and nurse it, and the next 
season you have fifty — you might possibly 
get a hundred — but say fifty plants. These 
you plant in the same way. and the second 
year you have two thousand five hundred, 
worth probably, at the price usual two 
years after it is introduced, $50 to $100 — a 



Note.— The author desires to give credit to the R2iral New Yorker for three cuts of grafting the grape, 
furnished at our expense. To the New York Tribune for the 'Boy on the Farm," "How Farmers May Begin," 
and about budding, said articles having been written by the author for the Tribtine. To Mr. J. Jenkins, Win- 
oni, Ohio, for cuts of budding and grafting, Ptc, furnished at our expense, from his valuable work, "The 
Art of Propaaration To Saunders' "Insects Injurious to Fruits," for cut on page 26. In the Portfolio are 
given some "waifs of the press " 



PROPAGATINa THE EASPBEREY. 



good investment, certainly. But farther 
than this, it is a great pleasure to have 
these new things of great promise, to 
watch over and care for tlaem, even 
though you get disappointed at times, as 
you assuredly will. 

1. Eemember that you should plant on 
rich soil for propagation. A cutting has 
no roots to send out to a distance for food, 
and must have it near at hand. More than 
this, rich soil is more moist than poor, and 
more porous. 

2. Make the soil deep and fine. Hard 
clay soil that bakes will not answer, unless 
sand or muck is mixed with it liberally. 

3. Plant and cultivate with care, and 
give frequent attention. You seldom find 
a successful propagator with a propagating 
bed in the further corner of his grounds. 
Why ? He wants it near by, where he will 
be reminded of its needs. 

4. When about to propagate, investigate 
thoroughly and learn what varieties are 
most worthy. Do not waste your time on 
worthless varieties. Get a specimen bearing 
fruit on your place as early as possible, and 
judge by its conduct there whether it will 
be profitable for you to largely multiply it. 

5. The profits of propagation are great. 
From an acre you might realize $1,000 or 
more. In propagating some species the 
labor also is great. Consider that at the 
start, and do not expect large profits from 
small outlay of time and attention. 

6. Plant and care for your propagating 
beds in the best possible manner. It does 
not pay to neglect anything, but least of 
all a propagating bed. What I have learned 
about propagation has been from experience. 
I have met with many failures before learn- 
ing the best methods. I know that all the 
books I shall sell will never cover the losses 
I have sustained to make me competent to 
give the advice I do in this little work. 



Propagating tlie Strawberry. 




from one vigorous strawberry plant in one 
season. When you have a valuable but 
scarce variety that you wish to increase 
rapidly plant in a bed deeply trenched, and 
enriched the year previously with all the 
manure that can be well mixed thereon. 
Set the plants from four to six feet apart 
each way. Work the soil about them fre- 
quently, but not deep. When the first run- 
ners appear remove them. As the plant 
gains strength permit runners to remain, 
and draw them out in different directions 
from the parent plant, laying a small stone 
over each where the leaves appear. Con- 
tinue this course,wateringintimeof drouth 
with diluted liquid manure. Soil so rich as 
this is not desirable for producing fruit, but 
is just the thing for increasing plants. 
Newly manured soil is not in condition for 
forcing plants. It must first become rotted 
and incorporated with the soil. Then it 
becomes plant food and not before. Fresh 
manure of ten prevents plants from growing 
when placed where the roots come in con- 
tact with it. Such manure should be used 
as a mulch, when it accomplishes a double 
purpose — keeping the soil cool and moist, 
and furnishing plant food by leaching after 



Propagating Black Raspberries. 




It is possible to grow 500 to 1000 plants | 



Raspberry plant wiih tips layered. 

Next to strawberries these are the easiest 
of all to propagate, yet many do not know 
how to proceed. I have known people to 
layer the canes at intervals as they would 
the grape, leaving the tip uncovered. 
These people could learn from the wild 
plants in the woods, which bend over and 
drop the tip in tlie loose soil, where it takes 
root and produces a new plant. Plants 
would take root often unaided in the planted 
field were it not for the w^nd, which sways 
them about and destroys the vitality of the 
tips. We have known whole plantations to 
be lost for propagation by a heavy wind 
previous to layering. If such a vs^ind 
comes very eariy (which seldom occurs) 
the tips will send out new buds and take 



PROPAGATINa THE RASPBERRY. 



root. But if the season is well advanced 
into late September, it is useless to spend 
time with them. 

The old rule is not to layer tips until they 
turn red, are swollen and look snakish. 
Such a condition is indeed desirable, but 
the propagator who would wait for such 
maturity would succeed in obtaining only 
half as many plants as he who began as 
soon as the canes were long enough to bend 
ever and reach the earth. Why? From 
the fact that if layered early (before the 
cane has grown long), the cane, instead of 
continuing to extend itself, often from ten 
to fourteen feet, which is a waste of vital- 
ity, will send out new branches, which can, 
in turn, be layered later. I begin to layer 
very soon after the berry harvest is over, 
often at once. First put the soil in fine 
condition by repeated cultivation (for the 
pickers have made foot-paths all about), 
then, with a garden trowel, make a hole 
two to three inches deep, hold in the tip as 
nearly perpendicular as you can (if laid flat it 
will invariably push out and not take root), 
fill up the hole, pressing it firmly, if very 
dry. Tips put in with light covering make 
the best plants, but the wind is apt to twist 
them out. A good man or boy will put in 
from 1000 to 4000 in a day in this manner, 
depending on the looseness of the soil and 
number of tips per bush. I often have 
thirty men and boys at this work, going 
over the fields three or four times, at inter- 
vals of about two weeks. The earlier tips 
are put in the larger the plants are. If the 
weather is excessively hot and the tips very 
immature, they sometimes scald or turn 
black and die, but we have never met with 
any serious loss in this respect, and would 
not delay an hour on this account. Of 
course the lower the bushes are headed the 
earlier they can be laid, thus we cut off 
the young canes when twelve to eighteen 
inches high, which occurs often before 
blossoming. By trimming closely, after 
digging plants,tbe canes support themselves 
and bear fine crops of fruit. Does this crop 
of young plants, often forty or fifty 
exhaust the vitality of the parent 
plant ? Yes, it has such a tendency. Prop- 
agating plants should have better care and 
more fertilizing than those that bear fruit 
only. By nipping the tip of canes early and 
often, and making the soil very rich, it is 
possible to get 100 plants from one the first 
season planted The richer the soil the 
larger the plants and the greater number. 
The young plants are usually left where 
they grow until the winter is over. If to 
be planted on your own place it is better to 
plant them in the spring, after they have 
sent up a green shoot two inches high. 
Raspberry and strawberry roots are quickly 
destroyed, if exposed to a hot sun or drying 
wind; ten minutes' exposure will often sap 
their vitality. If you propagate blackcap 
tips on low, wet soil, they will be heaved 
out by frost, unless covered with strawy 



litter. Hasty people plow furrows for tips, 
and use plow or shovel to cover them. It 
does not pay to follow this method. 



Propagating Ked Raspberries. 




The roots of this class 
continually form buds, 
which, pushing up through 
soil, form sucker plants 
— some varieties 
form few, some 
many. If you plant 
a choice variety in 
the spring, in good 
soil, its roots will 
probably cover a 
pot 3 to 4 feet across. If 
_ you dig the parent plant 

the next spring, be careful to cut the roots 
close to the cane so as to leave as many 
roots in the soil as possible, and undis- 
turbed. The strength of the roots remaining 
in the soil, instead of nourishing the parent 
will bud rapidly and furnish an amazing 
supply of strong plants — 40 to 100 in many 
instances. If the soil is mulched with rot- 
ten manure it will make it easier for the 
young plants to push upwards as well as 
give them food. You can cut off the lat- 
eral roots of the parent plant and permit it 
to remain if you wish, but it will do better 
elsewhere, and will have another bed of 
roots formed by another spring. I prefer 
not to disturb the plant until spring, as root 
growth often continues during w^inter, and 
the young germs are safer attached to the 
parent plant until spring. 

If you are a skilful propagator, and have 
a green-house, you will take up all the roots 
you can with the plant, cut them in one- 
half inch pieces and start them with bot- 
tom heat, in boxes of, sand. As soon as 
buds appear on the roots they are placed in 
shallow boxes filled with about three inches 
of good soil, mixed with leaf mould. 
When the plants have grown a few inches 
above the soil they may be potted or trans- 
planted at once in out-door beds or fields. 
Similar treatment may be given in hot-beds 
and cold frames, but such methods require 
close attention and considerable experience, 
and the novice will often do better not to 
attempt them. Gardeners succeed by sim- 
ply cutting the roots into two-inch pieces 
and planting shallow in rows in garden 
beds, covering with sand or mulch that will 
enable the young germs to push through 
easily. These require careful weeding and 
hoeing, but if they get a good start make 
fine plants by fall. If you have a valuable 
variety on your place and wish to extend 
your plantation you can do so by trans- 
planting green plants, suckers that spring 
up where plants were set the spring pre- 
vious. We have succeeded best by permit- 
ting these green plants to get of considera- 
ble size, say six to ten inches, before trans- 



PEOPAGATING THE BLACKBERRY. 



planting; then, nipping the tender tops 
and many of the leaves. Then the wood 
has hardened, the roots have multiplied, 
and the plant has a better chance to live 
than if dug when young and tender, with 
feeble roots. If I could have learned this 
by other experience than my own, I should 
have saved $1,000 at least. In fact, much 
information that I give in these pages has 
cost me large sums of money. I once had 
a few plants of a valuable new red rasp- 
berry that I desired to propagate as fast as 
possible. I dug up part of the roots and 
placed them under glass, thinking if they 
gi-ew well to do likewise with the remain- 
der, but if they seemed liable to fail I 
would permit the balance to propagate 
themselves where they grew. Well the 
plants under glass grew amazingly. I was 
delighted and of course dug up all and 
placed with them over artificial heat. But 
after a time all began to grow smaller, then 
some withered, and all looked feeble. 
Every method was attempted to revive 
them, without avail, and the whole enter- 
prise I regarded a failure. If I had left the 
roots in the soil where they grew, as first 
recommended here, I would have secured 
more and better plants. The few pot house 
plants that lived did not take kindly to 
transplanting in the open field, to fight the 
wind and sunshine. Tlien I have planted 
hot house plants when too small, earlier in 
the season, according to rules, desiring to 
avail myself of fine rains. But the season 
proved late and wet, frosts fell upon the 
tender shoots, worms gnawed into them, 
some rotted, some were eaten by grubs, 
more became discouraged by the cold 
weather that kept nipping their noses, thus 
when the warm-growing weather came, 
previous to which they should not have 
been planted, most of my pets had departed 
to 'that bourne from which no traveler 
returns. 

In planting red raspberries for propaga- 
tion remember that if set in rows seven 
feet apart the roots will meet in two years, 
and by the third cover tlie entire surface. 
Thus in planting the Marlboro I set them 
in rows seven feet apart, planting potatoes 
between the first year. The second year I 
will have barely room to run a cultivator 
between the rows. What would I have 
done if planted three feet apart ? When 
planting for fruit I plant four feet apart 
each way and cultivate with horse both 
ways. Remember that some kinds of red 
and yellow raspberries propagate only from 
tips. The drooping tendency of the canes 
indicate this peculiar propensity. 



Propagation of Blackberries. 

The blackberry is propagated much like 
the red raspberry, therefore I need not go 
into details. It takes the blackberry longer 
to become established than raspberries, but 




having once gained a 
foothold it endures for 
a long time in the same 
patch with profit. One 
season's growth of root 
is not sufficient for the 
best success in propa- 
gating, as it is with the 
raspberry. Two years' 
growth should be given 
before the parent plant 
is dug up for propaga- 
tion. But the spring 
after one seaso n's 

growth you can sever 

the roots one foot distant from the plant 
by thrusting down a sharp spade and 
withdrawing it with the least disturbance 
of the soil possible. Then there will be 
roots enough left undisturbed on the plant 
to push forward a good growth of new 
roots, and the severed roots will sprout up 
and make fine plants. But the second year 
you can remove the parent plant and the 
roots from eighteen inches about it and 
then there will be enough roots left in the 
soil to make a good stand of plants. Cut 
the roots into pieces two inches or more 
long, depending on the size. Do not cut 
too short. Nothing is gained, for if left 
long, two plants will probably be formed, 
and if too short, perhaps none. The 
smaller the root the longer it should be cut. 
We generally cut the roots in the fall, stor- 
ing in boxes of sand in the cellar, but they 
may be cut in the spring with nearly equal 
success. Scatter the roots in shallow 
trenches six inches wide as early in the 
spring as the soil will work and cover with 
two inches of loose soil. If a sprinkling of 
rotten manure is strewn over the rows after 
this it will avail much. Keep them well 
wed or failure is certain. Usually strong 
plants are made by fall, and in digging 
these you can leave detached roots in the 
soil to spring up and renew the row. The 
parent plant, after removing most of the 
roots, may be planted in a new bed. In 
green-houses very small pieces of roots 
make good plants, the same as with red 
raspberries. The more you spade among a 
patch of blackberries the more suckers will 
spring up. Therefore, if you have a field 
designed for fruit do not dig plants therein. 
There are kinds of trailing blackberries 
that do not propagate from the root, but 
from tips like black raspberries. 



Propagating Currants. 

Few cuttings take root so rapidly as the 
currant. I cut the wood of the present sea- 
son's growth as soon as the leaves begin to 
fall, often stripping the leaves by hand. I 
then cut the wood into cuttings seven to 
eight inches long, tie in bundles of fifty, 
lay them in a trench with the butt end up 
and cover with two inches of fine soil over 



CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES. 




the butts. This being done the last of 
August when the eartii is warm, the cut- 
tings will callus over and send out roots in 
from ten to twenty days. I often find the 
cuttings so well rooted it requires some 
pulling to get them apart at planting. _ I 
plant when I get time in the fall, often in 
November, in rows three feet apart. I 
thrust down a spade to its full depth, sway 
is backwards and forwards, making quite a 
hole, then withdraw it and a boy slips in 
two cuttings, one at each side of the hole. 
We progress in this way until the end of 
the row is reached. I then turn back and 
both tread the earth as compactly as possi- 
ble on each side of the cuttings, sinking 
our heels down hard. This treading is very 
important work in planting aU cuttings, as 
it is no easy matter to compact the earth to 
the depth of a foot from the surface. When 
the field is planted thus we rvm a shovel 
plow between the rows, being careful to 
throw the soil as near the cuttings as possi- 
ble and not cover them, the tip end of each 
being now exposed. This leaves a ridge on 
each side of the row of cuttings, with a 



hollow in the line of the cuttings. This 
hollow we fill at once with fresh strawy 
horse manure, thick enough to hide the 
cuttings completely. If the furrow is not 
deep I go through the second time with 
shovel plow after manuring. The ditch 
made by the shovel plow lets the water pass 
off, and the manure covering prevents 
heaving by frost, and stimulates growth so 
as to secure the best possible plant one year 
from planting. If currant bushes are 
earthed up a foot or more in June, roots 
will be formed about the base of the 
branches. New varieties are often propa- 
gated in this way. The rooted layers are 
removed, permitting the parent plant to 



Propagating- Gooseberries. 

Gooseberry cuttings do not easily make 
roots, therefore the bushes are usually 
layered in July. The young wood of the 
present season's growth, when immature, 
takes root readily, therefore as soon as 
growth enough has been made the layering 
should begin. They are usually banked up 
as high as possible in order to cover the 
new growth in part. In order to accom- 
l^lish this most effectually I sometimes bend 
the branches down fiat to the earth and 
cover all but the tips. By fall the whole 
plant will be a mass of roots, which should 
then be divided — every piece that has a 
root, no matter how small tiie root, planted 
as recommended for currants and covered 
with manure and shovel plowed. I have 
seen old bushes layered, not expecting the 
old wood to take root there, but to so soften 
the wood that it might more easily take 
root the next season when planted like cut- 
tings. 



Propagating the Grape. 

It must be remembered that there are 
varieties of fruits that are much more diffi- 
cult to propagate than others. This is the 
case with raspberries, goosebenies, etc^, 
and especially with the grape, on some 
varieties of which it is almost impossible to 
secure good roots. But the larger number 
root freely from layers or cuttings. Layer- 
ing is the most simple method, by which 
any one may succeed. This is done most 
readily with the young green wood by bury- 
ing it in June in the soil three inches 
deep at intervals, often thus securing many 
plants from each vine. Last season's canes 




SPROUTS GROWING UP FROM LAYERED CANE. 



PROPAGATING THE GRAPE. 



can also be layered early in the Spring. 
Stretch the cane in a shallow trench and 
fasten it there with wooden pins. Do not 
cover it with earth until the buds open and 
the young shoots get several inches high, 
then gradually cover until four inches deep, 
placing a stake where each green shoot 
springs forth, each of which will make a 
well-rooted vine. Layering is a heavy draft 
on the vme, thus we seldom layer the first 
season, knowing it would weaken the vine. 
It should be layered sparingly until well 
established, unless some sturdy kind like 
Concord or Champion. Layers that are 
poorly rooted are planted in nursery 
rows one season. Nurserymen always cut 
off a large part of the roots of vines at 
transplanting. This gives more fibrous 
roots, the vines plant easier and grow 
equally well. There are numerous methods 
for pi-eparing grapes from cuttings, the 
most frequent being from two or three-eyed 



the vineyard. Cleft grafting is usually 
adopted fof such vines. The cane is first 



Cane laid down. 

cuttings, each aboiit eight inches long' 
planted simply by thrusting in the spade 
(no shoveling out trenches), in carefully 
prepared beds, in rows twenty inches apart, 
three inches apart in the rows, all firmly 
trod with the feet, then mulched with 
leaves, rotten tan bark, saw dust, cut straw, 
etc. There are soils so well adapted it is 
possible to succeed without a mulch, but 
such soils are rare -in all cases the mulch 
gives the larger percentage of good rooted 
vines. As I look back upon my experience 
I find my best luck to be always with the 
mulched. A few propagate entirely from 
one-eye cuttings out doors. The wood is 
cut an inch above the eye and left as long 
as possible and yet have only one eye- 
simply a short peg with an eye near the 
top. These are simply thrust in a narrow 
bed closely, in rows a foot apart, and at 
once covered with three inches of seasoned 
tan bark -when first removed from the 
tannery it is not so safe. Few weeds came 
up through this heavy mulch, but the 
grapes push up readily. Many varieties 
grow well by this method, while others are 
scattering, only here and there a plant, but 
with new varieties there is a great gain in 
getting double the number of cuttings. 
Under glass nurserymen propagate from 
single eyes cut from two to three inches 
long, started in shallow boxes of sand, &nd 
afterwards potted or transplanted in beds. 
A good way to increase a valuable variety 
is to graft single eye cuttings on grape roots 
and plant in the usual way. Grafting is 
now practiced more largely than ever 
before, principally on established vines in" 




Whip graft on section of grape root. 



PROPAGATING THE GRAPE. 




Grafted Cane of Grape 

cut off three to four inches below the sur- 
face of the soil, then the stump is split 
with some thin sharp implement, extending 
the cleft about two inches. The cleft is 
held open with a narrow wedge in the mid- 
dle of the cleft. The scion may have one 
eye or several, but should not be over six 
inches long. Sharpen it with a keen-edged 
knife so as to fit the cleft standing open 
before you, permitting the outer edge to be 
thicker than the inner, that it may press 
more closely at the vital part, where the 
inner bark of both stock and scion meet. 
Insert it carefully and withdraw the wedge. 
If the stock is large another graft may be 
Inserted in the other side of the cleft. Bind 
firmly with stout twine, covering this with 
a few twists of wire. The string alone 
would rot, but it prevents the wire from 
cutting the vine. Then cover the graft 
with a mixture of four parts of stiff clay 
with one part of fresh cow dung. For 
grafting grape roots whip grafting is 
adopted. Take a yearling Concord vine, or 
any cheap vine for this purpose. If the 
roots spring from several eyes one vine will 
make several roots for grafting. This work 
can be done during Winter if the vines 
used for stocks are stored in the cellar. 
Pack away in sand the same as apple grafts. 
If you desire to cross one variety witli 
another to produce seed pre 
sutned to inherit the charac- ' 
teristics of each parent, cut 
the anthers from the stamens 
wnth pointed shears before 
the pollen is shed, when the 
flowers first open as shown in 
the cut. As the flower be- 
C pfsul^B^^fnl comes developed, apply the 
' thers. ' ' pollen from the flower of the 
variety you desire to use to the 
pistil "C." To avoid impreg- 
nation by insects or winds 
carrying pollen, cover the 
flowers to be impregnated with 
thin oiled paper or cloth. G. 
W. Campbell says the grape Grap_ 
blossom must be opened arti- d si amenswitn 
flcially before its season of anthers remv'd 
flowering, for the removal of the anthers. 
The above cut shows the graft on a strong 
cane layered in the earth. By this method 
the parent vine is but little interfered with 
in case the graft fails to succeed. But the 
cleft graft is generally used where varieties 






Inarching-. The dotted lines below show where the 
new variety is cut off and removed after the union is 
perfected, and above where the wild vine is severed. 

of a vineyard are changed. It is not re- 
garded as difficult, but I advise experiment- 
ing in a small way at first. 

Green wood cuttings are mostly started 
under glass. Inarching is performed on 
green or ripe wood by planting the vines 
side by side, or by placing one in a pot or 




box. 



Green Wood Grape Cutting. 
The two canes are simply bound to- 



gether after taking a slice . of wood from 
each, and bringing the exposed layers of 
bark closely together. If connected some- 
thing like a whip graft it succeeds better. 
The wounded part should be bound with 
moss or clay. After the vines have grown 
together detach the portions not desired. 



THE QUINCE, PEACH, CHERRY, ETC. 



Propagating- the Quince. 



Usually the quince is cut back after it 
becomes well established, that it may form 
numerous young shoots near the base. The 




Stool Layering of the Quince. 

bush is then earthed up a foot or more in 
June. By fall the branches will have 
formed numerous roots and may be 
removed and planted in nursery rows 
where they soon make fine trees. By ma- 
nuring and nursing a crop of layers may be 
taken every other year from the same 
stool. Plants may be formed by bending 




Plant Layer. 

down a branch and covering a part with 
earth.. With rare varieties we import from 
France the Angers Quinces which cost $15 
per 1,000, plant them and bud with the rare 
variety. This is the most rapid method 
and makes the finest trees, as the Angers 
possesses great vigor. We often graft cut- 
tings of the quince on short pieces of apple 
roots. The apple root sustains the cutting 
until it forms roots of its own. All these 
methods preserve the identity of the vari- 
ety — but if seed is sown no one can tell 
what kind of quince may be produced. 
The quince does not root readily from cut- 
tings, yet a few people meet with good suc- 
cess by this method. Make the cuttings 
long, and prepare them in the fall, planting 
very early in the spring. 



Propagating tlie Peach, 
and Nectarine, 



Apricot 



We class these together as all are worked 
on peach stocks by the same method. Nat- 
ural peach seed is used by the best nur- 
serymen from trees never budded, coming 
from Tennessee. These are less liable to 
yellows than seed grown North. Whatever 
kind you use prepare in the fall by mixing 
the seed with sand and exposing them to 
the frost and storms all winter. This loos- 
ens the cement that binds the pits and they 
open readily in the spring without crack- 
ing. Sow these in beds or drills very early, 
covering but lightly with sandy soil. When 
the plants become four inches high trans- 
plant on a cloudy day to nursery rows 
three and one-half feet apart, six inches 
apart in the rows. About the first of Sep- 
tember bud them. Next spring cut the 
tree back just above the bud that you have 
set, and break or rub ofi: all other buds that 
appear, except this one that you desire. By 
fall this single bud will grow from three to 
six feet high and form a splendid tree. 



Propagating the Cherry and Plum. 




The seeds of these are treated much like 
those ot the peach. Seedlings are usually 
bought at $6 to $8 per 1,000, as the growing 
of these, also pear and apple seedlings is a 
business of itself. The largest seedKngs are 
secured and planted eight inches by three 
and one-half feet, generally by thrusting in 
the spade as recommended for planting 
currant cuttings, but the safer method is 
to open a trench, but it requires more labor. 
The highest culture is given. As the plum 
drops its leaves early it is budded first — in. 
July. The wood of the cherry must not be 
too sappy, thus budding is deferred until 
very rapid growth is past, say the first of 
August here. The after-treatment is the 



10 



PROPAGATING THE PEAR AND APPLE. 



same as for the peach, except that it takes 
at least two years to get a well-branched 
cherry tree. Cherry and plum buds give 
us more trouble than any other. They do 
not always grow. Sometimes half the 
cherry trees must be dug up and thrown 
away after attempting to make buds catch 
by repeated budding. A small black insect 
often besieges the leaves of the young 
cherry and ruins the tree unless destroyed 
by dipping the branches in tobacco water 
diluted. A friend picks off the infested 
leaves and burns them. Cherries and 
plums are sometimes grafted on pieces of 
cherry or plum roots, but they seldom suc- 
Cded by this method. 



Propagating the Pear. 



Pear seed is expensive and the novice 
should be contentfcd to purchase pear seed- 
lings one year old, strong, and plant eight 
inches by three and one-half feet. All 
nursery ground should be well drained and 
fertilized, and put in the finest possible 
condition before planting. Pear roots are 
the most sensitive of iall roots, and require 
careful planting and every possible atten- 
tion. The leaves of pear trees are subject 
to blight, especially on American seedlings. 
Those imported from France are less sub- 
ject to leaf blight. To be safe against 
blight (which renders budding impossible 
by tightening the bark), the pear is budded 
early in July, as soon as mature buds can 
be secured. The pear may be grafted on 
pear roots, but budding is much safer. 

■»8» — 

Propagating' tlie Apple. 

Any person can grow apple seedlings. 
Get pomace from the cider-mill the mo- 
ment it comes from the press. If it heats 
it is ruined. Oj^en trenches in well pre- 
pared soil with a shovel plow three feet 
apart. Scatter the poinace thickly therein. 
Then run the shovel plow between each 
row, thus covering the pomace very lightly. 
If you spread rotted manure along the 




Planting Root Graft ; pressing dirt against it with 
dibble. 



rows, or ashes, it -will avail much. Do not 
be afraid of getting in too much seed— you 
can thin the rows with a garden rake when 
the plants first come up, if too thick. Some 
say the pomace sours the soil. Do not 
believe this. It is even better than cleaned 
seed on heavy soil, as the straw mixed with 
it keeps the soil porous, permitting the 
young plants to come up easily, and you 
avoid the I'isk of soaking the dry seed. Dig 
the seedlings the first succeeding fall, sort- 
ing out the larger ones. These may be root 
grafted, cutting the roots into pieces about 
three inches long. The smaller ones may 
be planted and budded. If not large 
enough the fii'st year they may be budded 
the next. We only use the best. The after- 
treatment is the same as before described. 
Root grafting is done in the winter, the 
grafted roots being packed in moist sand. 
The budding may be done any time from 
August 20th to October. 

— ♦•> 

Propagation by Cutting, 

Mr. J. Jenkins says : Most varieties of 
Grape-vines, Currants, Gooseberries, Roses, 
and much of the shrubbery supplied by 
nurserymen, grow readily, and are grown 
from out-door cuttings. Whether of trees 
or vines, in-door or out-door propagation, 
the operation of nature in the growth of 
tlie cutting is the same. The bud holds 
within its brown envelope the principle of 
life, which extends through the cells that 
have carried the circulation, extended the 
growth, and established the bud. After the 
cutting is divided, nature's first effort is to 
form a callus with the descending cells that 
would have gone to extend and enlarge the 
roots on the mother vine. 

If instead oi abruptly dividing the cane 
or shoot to be used as a cutting, a system of 
ringing or strangulation be followed, every 
bud may be made to produce a plant. This 
strangulation or ringing is performed on 
soft or green wood by tying thread tightly 
around the point where the cutting is to be 
separated, and on hard wood by a ring of 
copper wire drawn closel3^ This will cause 
an enlargement and a deposition of cambium 
at the point of arrest and make the growth 
of the cutting thus prepared, when finely 
separated and planted, almost as certain as 
though they already had roots. 

One very successful experiment with out- 
door cuttings of the grape was performed 
by allowing the cane to remain on the 
mother vines until the buds had started a 
growth of one-half inch or more, and the 
leaves had begun to unfold, every eye was 
separated, the old wood placed entirely be- 
low the soil, the new growth just appearing 
above the ground, shaded carefully, with a 
result of full eighty per cent, of vine. 

In the usual manner of preparing cut- 
tings greater success follows when the cut- 
tings are taken off immediately on the fal 
of the leaf before freezing, when they 



ART OF BUDDING. 



11 



should immediately be packed away in 
moss or soil until time for planting in 
spring. 

Grape cuttings from outdoor planting 
may be made with single eyes, but all the 
advantages of a two-bud cutting may be 
retained by simply cutting across the node 
with a sharp knife, or with shears, com- 
mencing the cut opposite and one-eighth of 
an inch or more below the bud and finish- 
ing one-eighth of an inch or more above. 




Cutting- a Bug 

The Art of Budding. 



The object of budding is to rapidly mul- 
tiply with the least possible consumption of 
coins and time. Every leaf bud may make 
a tree. A slow growing or 
stunted stock cannot be bud- 
ded at all with success, there- 
fore the best possible culture 
should be given. All trim- 
, ming of the stock should be 
I deferred until the day of bud- 
ding, as every leaf taken from 
a plant or tree lessens the 
growth. Many labor under 
the delusion that by removing 
the shoots from the trunks of 
their ; young orchard trees 
while in leaf they are hasten- 
ing their growth. Bands for 
budding are secured by re- 
noving the bark of basswood 
n June or July and soaking 
JM it in water until the inner 
iUJi bark peels off in thin ribbons, 
i' ^' The pear in this section is 
Dudded in July, as the leaf 
Budding ; trans- blight usually attacks it soon 
Inrbud ready for after, stopping all growth, 
insertion. rendering budding impossi- 

ble. After the pear, we bud the plum, then 





the cherry, following with the apple, and 
closing with the peach from 
the 10th to the last of Sep- 
tember. Though much de- 
pends upon the season, I 
have found that early bud- 
ding generally succeeds the 
best, but more attention is 
required to prevent the cut- 
ting of the rapidly expand- 
ing stock by the band that 
holds the bud. While a cer- 
tain maturity of bud is desir- 
able, immaturity is seldom 
the cause of failure. Apple 
buds must be set before they 
have become very prominent, Vance's Method 
or the season will be passed. Xre a^ud'hi's 
I have budded the peach sue- been cut out of 
cessfully ■when the buds set the stock. 
could scarcely be discovered with the naked 
eye. Pear buds are the only 
ones I recall as having 
fully matured before setting. 
If the season is favored 
with frequent rains and the 
stocks are pushing ahead rap- 
idly, budding may be deferred 
with less danger than if the sea- 
son is dry and the sap moving 
slowly. A good budder se- 
lects his buds with great care, 
using none that are feeble or 
on soft, spongy wood, and no 
blossom buds. While the tying 
of the buds is easily learned by 
a bright boy, it must be thor- 
oughly done or the buds 
will dry out and fail. 

The illustrations tell how to bud better 
than words. The leaves are first removed, 
leaving a short stub 
only for a handle. The 
bud is removed, with 
an inch in length of 
bark and a little wood 
directly under the bud. 
This wood used to be 
peeled away, but now 
it is left attached to 
the bud with better suc- 
cess. An opening is 
made in the stock, the 
bud is inserted from the 
top (by some from the 
Bud inserted and bottom) _ and gently 
tied. pressed into place by 

the part of the leaf stem remaining. There is 
seldom any failure in budding when done by 
experienced hands, but with the novice fail- 
ure is not infrequent from the following pos- 
sible defects : 1. The cross cut in the 
bark may not have been sufficiently 
wide to prevent breaking w^hen open- 
ed ; or too much effort may have 
been made to raise the bark with 





Bud; 



13 



HOW TO GRAFT. 




Tying bud 
growth to 
stump of old 
stock. 




blade or handle, thus causing 

roughness — the knife-handle 

should never be used in this 

m anner . The upper corners of 

the bark of the stock should be 

raised with one steady pressure 

of the knife-blade, and the bud 

then made to force its own 

way home, where it will fit 

perfectly, and no exposure of 

the parts to drying influences 

occur. The novice often fails 

to push the bud successfully to 

its place by the frail stem. 

The pressure should be toward 

the stock and downward. In 

obstmate cases we press down 

by inserting the knife-point crosswise just 

below the bud. 3. In taking out the wood 

attached to the bud the vital parts are liable 

to be injured. 3. The bud may have been 

inserted when quite immature, or the shield 

may have been cut too short -it should 

measure at least an inch in length. 4. 

If the bark clings to the stock all efforts 
to bud will prove futile ; but 
this seldom occurs in the proper 
season under good cultivation. 
5. The tying of the bud may 
I have been loosely or otherwise 
J imperfectly done, or the bands 
left on too long, causing the bud 
to be seriously cut by the ex- 
panding stock. The bands 
should in most cases be removed 

Ring budding, after fifteen days. 6. The soil 

should be cultivated at once after budding. 

I have known men to spend a day budding 

50i) trees, yet over 4,000 peaches have been 

budded in one day by an expert, I never 

heard of 4,0(.>0 plums or pears being worked 

in one day. I would prefer to have 500 well 

done than to have 4,000 worked poorly. 

Formerly apples were mostly root grafted, 

but nursery- 
men are get- 
ting more in 

the habit of 

budding them. 

Some of the 

buds inserted 

fail to grow. 

These are re- 

budded the 

next season, 

with the excep- 

tion of the 

peach. Peaches 

that fail are 

grubbed out 

without apol- 
ogy. Cherries 

often get too 

large by the 

second year, 

but apples and 

pears might be 

rebudded the 

First season's growth from bud 




third year if necessary, but such large 
stocks produce crooks where the buds push 
out. It is more difdcult to succeed in bud- 
ding the plum than most other fruit trees. 
Experienced nurserymen buy the strongest 
stocks designed for budding, and would 
take no poor ones as a gift. They plant in 
rich soil and crowd them with high culture. 
Buds succeed in such stocks where they 
would fail in poor stocks, or these not so 
well cared for. 



How to Graft. 



(t---i 




Cleft Graftings. Stocks cut and split, 
and Scions inserted. 

Scions for grafting are usually cut late in 
the faU and stored in moist sand in the cel- 
lar, but hardy varieties may be cut at any 
time before the leaves begin to grow. Graft- 
ing out doors begins in the spring 
with the first warm days, and 
continues until the leaves are 
expanded in May. The scions 
being kept dormant the best time 
is when the leaves on the stock 
are just pushiag out. But with 
the plum and cherry grafting 
should be done very early. The 
peach is seldom grafted. With 
large trees a branch is sawed off, 
the stock split, a wedge inserted 
to hold it open while a scion is 
placed at each side as shown in 
the cut a b, taking pains to make 
a close fit where the bark should 
meet. The cleft and wound 
should then be covered with 
grafting wax to keep out the air, 
made of equal parts of resin, 
bees-wax and tallow, melted to- 
gether. 

Whip Grafting and saddle 
grafting are methods of splicing 
the scion to the stock, offering a 
larger surface of contact, and 
being best suited to small stocks 
and indoor work. Apple root 
grafts are usually whip grafted, 



THE BOY ON THE FARM. 



13 



and wound with a waxed 

string, no attempt being made 

to keep out the air, as they 

are at once packed in moist 

sand, the string being intend- 
ed to hold the stock and scion 

firmly in place. In budding 

and grafting a thin-bladed 

knife with a sharp edge 

should always be employed. 

If the cutting is done with a 

blunt dull knife there is but 

little hope for success. The 

graft has a remarkable effect 

on the roots of the stock. 

In starting apple trees in 

the nursery, we graft on 

roots of seedlings, after 

such roots have been af- 
fected by the graft for three 

or four years, we find that 

those grafted with Red Astra- 

chan, for instance, are very 

fibrous, branching out near 

the surface, with few tap 

roots, while the rows adjoin- 
ing, or parts of the same row, Saddle Grafting. 

grafted with the Duchess of 

Oldenburgh or the Fameuse, are destitute of 

fibers, possess only tlxree coarse prongs, as a 
^rule, one of which is liable to be a tap root 
"seeking an abode far down in the subsoil. 

Here's a good label for fruit trees. It is 
made of tin, six or eight inches long, and a 
inch or so wide at the wide end, tapering 
to nearly a point at the other. Write the 
^^,,-^-^ names of the tree with a 
-^^^^)^\^|^scratch-awl, or a saw-file 

— Aground to a sharp point, 

bearing on hard enough to cut through the 
coating of tin into the iron. The rain will 
rust the letters and make them permanent. 
Wrap the narrow end once, loosely, around 
a small side branch. Then you can always 
know whether you are eating an apple or a 
turnip. This is the Farm Journal plan. 
John J. Thomas' plan is to use zinc strips 
and mark with a lead pencil. This makes 
a permanent label. 




In planting pistillate strawberries (mark- 
ed " P " in catalogues) do not forget to plant 
them within six to ten feet of the Wilson, 
Sharpless, James Vick or other hermaphro- 
dite varieties, that the pistillate blossoms 
may be made to produce fruit. 








The Boy on the Farm. 



THE AtfTHOR'S EXPERIENCE. 




A group of farmers' boys was gathered 
before the old stone school-house, with its 
tortuous benches, cracked corner and dis- 
torted architecture, one bright morning a 
quarter of a century ago. ' 'Do you see the 
young man riding the bay horse yonder?" 
asked one. "He's leaving 
these parts — going to seek 
his fortune." We watched 
the traveler closely as he 
passed, noted his attrac- 
^tive equipment, his manly 
form and bearing.and his in- 
tense and determined coun- 
tenance. " Were I in his 
place I would drive a stage- 
coach, " said one. ' ' I would 
drive an engine," said another. ' I would 
hunt in the forest and fight Indians," said 
another. "I would stand before the mast 
on the sea," said the fourth. Boy-like, I en- 
vied his freedom frora the restraints of 
school and home, his freedom to go 
wherever he wished, his freedom to choose 
from all the callings in the great mysterious 
world that opened so inviting! y before him. 
Following him with my eyes until he passed 
out of sight over the hill toward the distant 
city, I pictured for him in my imagination 
a glorious career. Whether he became dis- 
tinguished or sank into obscurity I know 
not. I never heard of him more. But the 
sangTiine, determined horseman, in defiance 
of wise counsels and admonitions of disas- 
ter, turning his back upon the world of his 
childhood, and driving out into the great 
unknown, is a type of young America. He 
is driving forth to-day from American 
farms in every township. It is his daunt- 
less and progressive spirit that has extended 
our railroads, developed the plains, opened 
mines, reared cities, and made this a coun- 
try of which all are so proud. This spirit, 
inherited, is one source of discontent in the 
boys on the farm, but there are others more 
prominent. 





THE BOY ON THE FARM, AGAIN. 



THE AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCE. 



15 




I have happy recollections of the joyous 
days of childhood on the farm. These are 
rich legacies with which I could not be 
tempted to part. Farm life may be made a 
paradise for children— not a hot-house exist- 
ence, stifling the victim with rich odors and 
indolence, causing him to wilt at the first 
exposure, but free, industrious, out-door 
life, bronzed with the hot blasts of Sum- 
mer, buffeting Wintry winds and storms, 
like the isolated oak, deep-rooted and knotty 
armed; a life that teaches humility, self-re- 
liance and courage; the successful training- 
course for the coming distinguished men 
The farmers' boys who were my school- 
mates did not complain of farm life, but 
were contented and happy, yet as they ap- 
proached manhood many dispersed into 
speculation, law, medicine and the ministry 
as naturally as ducks take to the water. At 
the age of eighteen I also began to experi- 
ence a feeling of unrest. Enjoying unusual 
opportunities for success on the fai'm, I 
reasoned thus in the premises; "Farming is 
dirty work — if I put on a clean suit I am 
certain to encounter a dirty job; it is hard 
work — from sum-ise to sunset the days are 
not long enough; it is often a cruel occupa- 
tion—the mutilation and slaughter of blame- 
less animals make me shudder; I may asso- 
ciate with those possessing less refinement 
than myself, and thereby I lose, whereas I 
might gain by associating with those supe- 
rior to myself; farming is said to be the 
most independent occupation — why, then, 
does it not bring greater honor, dignity and 
wealth; farming is not free from risk — in- 
sects, vermin, disease, and the elements 
prey alike upon the provident and impro- 
vident; that the farmer is not crippled by 
these severe losses is accounted for in his 
rigid economy and forced industry at such 
seasons; the farmer markets so many items 
he does not keep well informed on their 
shifting values, and does not attempt to in- 
fluence the market price, thus he is preyed 
upon by parasites; lastly, in the professions 
and many lines of business, the reputation 
for ability or fair dealing is often worth a 
fortune; not so with the farmer — his grain 
is dumped into the same boat with liis neigh- 
bor's; his brand upon his produce gives it 
little, if any additional value, and should 
he retire he has no 'good will' to dispose of." 
Similar thoughts encourage, but are not the 



prime cause of discontent with boys on the 
farm. 

Our homestead farm was one of the best 
in New York State, located on an eminence 
commanding views of great beauty, sur- 
rounded by friendly and intelligent neigh- 
bors, adjacent to attractive villages, 
churches and schools. My father possessed 
liberal views of life, and we all indulged in 
luxuries and sports in common with those 
out of debt and with money in the bank. 
My brothers and I were given opportunities 





for recreation, education and private enter- 
prise. While yet a lad I leased the home- 
stead for two years, during which time, 
prices ruling high, I cleared over $2.(-)00 
above all farm or personal expenditures. 
Notwithstanding such favorable circum- 
stances, often cited as a recipe for making 
boys "stick." none of my father's children 
continued farmers. With a fair prospect of 
ultimately owning the homestead, I left it, 
served an apprenticeship and for twelve 
years was a member of a firm of bankers in 
a city. There I learn- 
ed how easily for- 
tunes are made, and 
how easily lost. Learn- 
ed the value of good 
digestion, and of the 
refreshing sleep of him who labors under 
the open sky. Learned when clouds threat- 
ened, when the waves of the panic shook 
my bark, and the sea was strewn with 
wrecks, that the farm was a safe harbor, 
and I longed to cast anchor again in that 
quiet retreat, remembering only the pleasant 
chapters of my farm life. Do I then regret 
leaving the old homestead ? No, for there 
discontent would have relaxed my energies. 
No, for I cannot help feeling that I am a 
stronger man than I could have been had I 
remained. 

The principal cause of 
discontent in the boys on 
the farm is this : Many 
of them were designed by 
the Almighty for special- 
ties ; are endowed with 
qualifications for m e - 
chanics, navigators, in- 
ventors, lawyers, doctors, 
clergymen, etc. What 
a wonderful provision 
that all are not born for one pursuit. WTiat, 
confusion and sufiiering would result were 




16 



THE AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCE. 



it otherwise. Knowing well the character- 
istics of my brothers and schoolmates, who 
did not "stick to the farm," I am confident 
they would have made poor farmers, where- 
as in their proper spheres they were success- 
ful. Therefore I dispute the popular theory 
that we may advance agriculture by iaduc- 
ing those boys to remain farmers whose 
natural inclinations would lead them into 
other pursuits. A man struggling for suc- 
\Cess in a field wholly unsuited to his tastes 
and natural endowments is pitiable, and 
often ridiculous. 




ft. BU>&««)i>Vbih> 



HOW TO GROW FRUIT. 



The Author's Experience and 
Advice. 



HOW I BEGAN. 

Deprived of good health by city life 
I longed to get back to the country and 
thought it w^ould be a fine thing to fix 
up a run-dow^n farm and make it valua- 
ble. It seemed as though it would be a 
pleasure to improve it here and there, and 
make each stroke tell on its beauty and 
usefulness— like touching up a painting. It 
was a fine theory to consider behind a 
counter — not so fine in practice I discovered. 
I had no trouble in finding a run-down 
f ai*m — lots of them — but this one had splen- 
did soil, and a perpetual spring, big enough 
to turn a mill, bubbled up near the house 
and flowed through it. But it was an aw- 
ful looking place, everything battered, 
wrecked and forlorn, with mosquitoes and 
rats in abundance. I pitched into it with a 
will, full of enthusiasm, not permitting my 
family to come near it until the painters 
and carpenters had been at work a month. 
I made some bold strokes in tearing away 
door-yard and other fence, enlarging the 
grounds from 16 feet square to 18 acres. I 
trimmed the orchards, cleared away rub- 
bish, laid out drives, seeded lawns, rebuilt 
walls, put in new foundations — w^hacked 
away right and left, and was so lost in the 
excitement of the enterprise as to virtually 
make a hermit of myself. How the money 
flew ! Why a thousand dollars spent on 
such a place w^ould improve it some, to be 
sure, but straightway another thousand 
would have to be added to it — there was ap- 
parently no end to the outlay demanded. 
We are not through fixing up yet — perhaps 



never will be. You can see by the illustra- 
tion, that the place is not what it was, but 
it does not satisfy us yet. 

We planted the farm to fruit— big fruit, 
small fruit — all kinds that grow on earth. 
No one about us understood fruit, and all 
thought I was crazy. My own father and 
mother looked upon me a harmless lunatic 
on the fruit question. I kept at it, however. 
The good farmers looked shy at the big 
strawberries and red raspberries which I 
offered them, for we held them at a big 
price. The first few crops went off slowly. 
This gave me the blues, still we planted 
more and more. Crazy as a March hare, 
you see. Well, by and by, the fruit sold 
better, no one knew why. Then the good 
people came to the farm and engaged them 
in advance of picking — could not supply 
them. They would stand before the fruit 
house waiting fcr the pickers to come in 
with their trays of berries. Sometimes we 
had to send them away without any. They 
often came ten miles to get berries— farmers, 
villagers, laborers, grocers, blacksmiths, 
shoemakers, tinkers, bankers, merchants, 
ministers — all after berries. Now, who 
was crazy? Then people wanted plants of 
those big, sweet berries. Not only our 
neighbors, people in every state on the con- 
tinent wanted plants. We have no reason 
to complain of the returns the old farm has 
yielded. It has kept us heaJthy, happy and 
fat ; if we have not a fat pocketbook it is 
not the fault of the Fruit Farm. Will we 
sell the farm ? No ! ! Too many associations 
connected with it. It must go down to our 
children's children. 

Advice to a Beginner. 

Late one rainy night came a knocking at 
our office door. Our guest had traveled a 
hundred miles to see us. He was young, 
intelligent, full of enthusiasm. His object 
was to serve an apprenticeship at fruit 
growing with us. He had money, having 
sold his fruit farm in Maryland, where he 
had been growing peaches. He was now 
employed as stenographer, had served as 
amanuensis to a prominent literary man, 
and was accomplished in various matters. 
Looking him over carefully after supper I 
remarked that some people had poetical 
ideas of fruit culture, which facts would 
not substantiate. I told him that we had 
an apprentice with us last year. We paid 
him wages, probably all he earned. He 
worked as the other help worked, early and 
late, at whatever we had in hand, regardless 
whether it would teach him the art of fruit 
growing. He dug plants, planted them, 
hoed, trimmed, picked berries, sold them, 
and waxed fat and hearty. I often explain- 
ed matters to him that seemed to be of im- 
portance to an apprentice, but this kind of 
teaching did not appeal* to make any im- 
pression. At the end of eight months he 
drew his wages and went home. His father 
was delighted to find him grown so robust 






I i{li| 






















1 1 



i'i'''i i,ii,ii,i'ii 



I II 



ii'ii'i,'' 



ii'i 









;*.'' 



y-fr 



18 



LOCATION OF A FRUIT GARDEN. 



and strong, but 1 think the boy did not feel 
quite satisfied with what he had learned. 
But when he begins fruit growing for him- 
self, on his own soil, he will find that he 
has learned more here than he realized. It 
would be impossible for even the most stupid 
and disinterested person thus to be in con- 
tact with plants and trees for eight months 
without gathering much information of 
permanent value. 

I related the experience of a man 
w^ho left the city in embarrassed circum- 
stances and moved on a farm, with no 
knowledge of fruit growing. This man 
made it pay as best he could with farm 
crops for the first few years, planting straw- 
berries, raspberries, blackberries, currants 
and the large fruits in a very small way, 
intending to learn by experience. He found 
there was much to learn, and made some 
mistakes, but gradually increased his plan- 
tations of fruit, gradually giving up the 
farm crops, until he now depends entirely 
on his fruits, and is successful beyond his 
expectation. 

HE KNEW IT ALL, 

I told him of another man vs^ho consid- 
ered himself well posted in general fruit 
culture, and who, in fact, had considerable 
experience one way and another. He began 
fruit growing as a business by planting 
twenty acres. He was well satisfied with 
his methods and desired no information on 
the subject. He made rapid progress in 
planting and remarked that he could plant 
two acres to our one. As dry weather 
came on later, we enquired how his plants 
were doing. He rather evaded the enquiry. 
Later, I drove by his place and did not see 
that amount of verdure that should be ap- 
parent on a field of fruits at that season. 
Passing that way in tha fall I saw^ here and 
there a plant standing solitary, like some 
lone sentry after a disastrous battle, all his 
oompanion plants having died ignomin- 
iously . This man had planted on a freshly- 
turned timothy sod, in the most hurried 
manner. The plants were dropped in ad- 
vance of the planters and permitted to lose 
their vitality, as they will in a few moments 
when exposed to the sun and wind. They 
were then thrust into the soil carelessly, 
the earth left loose about the roots. Next 
spring the entire twenty acres were plowed 
up. All the work and cost of plants was 
lost. 

I told our guest of another young man 
w^ho desired to grow fruits, but felt that he 
knew nothing about the business. In order 
to gather information he visited men who 
bad experience, talked with them about 
their plantations when they were planting, 
pruning, picking, etc. He also read every- 
thing he could pick up that treated on the 
subject of fruit culture, discarding such 
notions as did not appeal to his good com- 
mon sense. With the fund of information 
thus gathered he began operations. He 



was active, industrious and full of enter- 
prise. His father owning a large grain farm 
set apart a jaortion of it to his boy for fruit 
growing. He made a business of attending 
to his fruits ; he succeeded, and hereafter 
will make money faster and easier than 
most people who till the soil. 

I imagined my guest's ardor would be 
dampened by these practical experiences, 
but not so ; his health demanded that he 
should give up ofiice work, and his incli- 
nations were all toward fruit growing. He 
asked if I would advise him to spend eight 
months as an apprentice in small fruit cul- 
ture. I confessed that I had some doubts 
as to what advice to give, but said that if I 
were in his place, with money in my pocket 
to buy a farm with, and such little experi- 
ence as he had gathered, I would begin 
at once for myself, relying on such infor- 
mation as I could gather by visits to practi- 
cal fruit growers, and by reading. Certain 
things must be learned by personal experi- 
ence anyway. But possibly time could be 
gained by serving an apprenticeship. Under 
different circumstances I would advise it. 
As it was I did not feel that my guest 
would be contented to work so long to learn 
so little, as it would appear to him. He de- 
cided to pitch into a farm of his own at 
once, and I bade him good speed next 
morning as he took the early train for 
home. 

LOCATION OP A FRUIT GARDEN. 

Old farm gardens are often so completely 
filled with seeds and roots of peisistent 
weeds as to render thein unsuitable for 
strawberries, which should have clean soil 
free frona sods, clods, roots or other rub- 
bish. I therefore sometimes recommend 
selecting a new site for the fruit garden, 
for I find the open fields much freer from 
weeds than old gardens. But wherever it 
may be located the fruit garden should con- 
tain an acre if possible. Now of all who 
will find it impossible to spare an acre for 
this purpose, the farmer who has the larg- 
est farm will be foremost — he is the man 
who has no place to plant fruits. He is 
like the miser — the more he has the firmer 
his grip. If you really have not an acre 
much less will give wonderful results. 
Select high ground if possible— not hill 
tops, but that naturally drained. If 
obliged to select low ground put in tile 
ditches every two rods. Plow and cultivate 
the soil frequently the season before plant- 
ing, so that all roots of weeds and sods are 
rotted and the soil made fine. We follow 
the common plow with a subsoil plow, 
using one horse sometimes, bvit more often 
two, on the subsoiler. This subsoiling is 
not absolutely necessary, but pays a big 
dividend in the succeeding crops. Fresh 
manure should not be applied just before 
planting, but several months previous, so 
as to become rotted and thoroughly mixed 
with the soil, or as a mulch as Winter 



LAYING OUT A FRUIT FARM. 



1& 



approaches. Strawberry growers often ma- 
nure heavily in the Spring, plow under and 
plant potatoes, then plant strawberries in 
September or the following Spring. 

1 will suppose the plat to be nearly square 
and that it has been fitted as above de- 
scribed, and Spring has come. Do not 
touch the soil until it crumbles after being 
pressed in your hand, but be ready to push 
the work the moment it is dry enough. It 
will often do to drag down the surface 
when too moist to plow. Drag down, cul- 
tivate, roll, until the surface is made fine, 
then plow eight to ten inches deep, let it 
dry a while, then fine the soil again thor- 
oughly. Consider how much after labor can 
be saved by thorough pi-eparation, and how 
much is lost, and what little satisfaction is 
attained with imperfect, hurried prepara- 
tion. No after culture will make amends. 
The mistake of imperfect preparation of 
the soil is plainly seen year after year, and 
often leads tlie proprietor to give up the 
enterprise in disgust, without perhaps 
knowing the cause of failure. Now mark 
out the entire garden Avith an ordinary 
corn marker, in rows 3J feet apart both 
ways, the same as though for planting corn. 
Omit the first row on the east side, plant 
grapes in the next, seven feet apart in the 
row. Omit five rows and plant grapes 
again, planting in this way from fifty to 
two hundred vines, according to the size of 
your family and the number of your fruit- 
eating friends. Omit five rows (those 3} 
feet apart) and plant a row of peaches 10| 
feet apart. Omit five rows again and plant 
quinces; then, in the same manner, plums, 
pears and apples, each time omitting five 
of the rows 8^ feet apart, which leaves all 
the rows planted 17^ feet apart. All the 
vines or trees being planted at points where 
the marker crosses the rows, obviating all 
sighting or measuring. Now plant the va- 
cant rows between the grapes with straw- 
berries, and between the rows of peaches, 
quinces, etc., with raspberries, currants, 
blackberries, etc. 

THE CITY GARDEN. 

If your operations must be confined to a 
smaller fruit garden or to your vegetable 
garden, satisfactory results can be secured 
here also. Plant dwarf trees as far as 
possible, and place all trees along the bor- 
ders on all sides; Their roots will feed on 
your neighbors' land probably, and their 
branches leaning over his side of the line 
fence, he will be legally entitled to all that 
falls on his soil, but he cannot legally take 
from the tree though growing over his 
land. You will do him good service by 
tempting him to plant likewise for his fam- 
ily, who are doubtless fruit hungry, year in 
and out. You can find places on the two 
sides and the back end of your garden thus 
for planting say six trees each of pears, 
plums, cherries, quinces, peaches, as they 
can be set in such positions eight to ten feet 
apart in the rows. If you desire more trees 



you can plant a row through the middle of 
your garden, leaving ample room at each 
end for turning witii a horse. Supposing 
the rows to be placed in the middle as 
above, now half way between this row, and 
say the west border plant a row of rasp- 
berries (red and black), and on the opposite 
side between the row of trees and the east 
border, plant a row of blackberries or 
grapes {don't forget them); and if hard 
pushed for room you will be tempted to- 
plant the gooseberries and currants between 
the trees along the fence. You can now- 
plow the garden as usual, except the space 
beside the raspberry row, where you will 
locate the strawberry bed, which will do 
more to brighten your home than many 
things that would cost one hundred times 
as much. Plant the strawberries eighteen 
inches apart each way if for hand culture, 
or three feet by eighteen inches if for horse 
culture. 

SEASON FOR PLANTING. 

If you are laying ouc plans for a com- 
plete fruit garden where there has been 
none of any account previously. I recom- 
mend Spring planting. But if you simply 
wish to extend or complete what has 
already been begun, the long Autumn fur- 
nishes a leisure season for such work. 
Strawberries, if set in the Fall, should be 
trar^splanted as early as possible so as to- 
get established before Winter, and when 
the earth freezes they should be lightly 
covered with straw litter to prevent freez- 
ing and thawing of the soil about them. 
Fall planted grapes, raspberries, blackber- 
ries, etc. . should be similarly covered also 
to prevent heaving, and Fall planted trees 
should Ibe banked with earth a foot high 
about their trunks. Such covering should 
be removed after the ground has settled in 
the Spring. Spring is the safest season for 
planting large fields, yet on account of the 
pressure of work then we plant largely in 
the Fall. Fall planting requires more labor 
in covering the plants, but we think it pays- 
us to do so. If the soil is low, wet and 
liable to heaving, we would not plant until 
Spring. I do not enter into all the details, 
as they are given complete in The Primer 
of Horticulture in another part of this book. 
This Primer is of the greatest value to be- 
ginners, and is eminently reliable. 

LAYING OUT A FRUIT FARM. 

I will suppose that you are just beginning, 
to feel that you have some experience iiL 
fruit culture and desire to lay out a ten-acre 
field for the different species, having 
selected it on account of its proper eleva 
tion, its natural or artificial drainage, its 
productive character when planted to corn 
or wheat, its nearness to villages or city, 
facilities for shipment or other consider- 
ations. We will suppose that the field has 
been in corn, potatoes or some other hoed 
crop last year, or that you have summer- 
fallowed it to kill weeds'and rot the sod, so 



30 



PROFITS OF FRUIT GROWING. 



it will not encumber the soil and prevent 
proper cultivation ; that as Spring opened 
you have worked the surface fine, have 
then replowed, subsoiled, made the earth 
as fine ss could be desired, and free from 
rock and stumps, and now wish to lay out 
the plat to the best advantage. You de- 
sire this field to be so surrounded and cut 
up by driveways that you can approach 
any part of it without interfering with 
any growing thing, for the purpose of 
gathering the fruit, for applying fertilizers, 
for conveying tools, etc. You also want 
the field divided into plats of convenient 
shape and size, one for each of the differ- 
ent fruits you desire to cultivate. We 
will suppose the field is square. We will 
first leave a driveway ten feet wide en- 
tirely around it. Then we will mark out 
the entire field both ways with an ordi- 
nary corn marker. Then we find the cen- 
ter of the lot and mark ten and one-half 
feet for a roadway through the field from 
east to west, and likewise one from north 
to south ; running a one-horse plow in the 
line of the marker on each side of the 
roads to mark clear- 









1 











ly where they are. 
Now your ten-acre 
field is divided into 
four parts, with a 
roadway complete- 
ly around each plat 
and around the en- 
tire field; and each 
plat is divided into 
squares and lines 
by the marker ready for planting. In one 
of these four plats you plant strawberries, 
in another red and black raspberries, m 
another blackberries, in the last currants, 
gooseberries, grapes, etc. Select the high- 
est and best drained part for strawberries, 
as on such land late Spring frosts are not 
so liable to blast the blossoms, and the 
frosts of Winter are not so destructive in 
lifting the plants out roots and all, as 
sometimes occurs on low ground when 
not covered or shaded by straw or litter. 
Beware of low ground for any kind of 
fruit, especially if wet. While hilly ground 
is not always desirable, let the field be 
above the ordinary level about it if pos- 
sible. We usually plant pear, cherry or 
apple trees along the fences on all sides of 
the field of small fruit. If this is your only 
field and vou desire more trees, plant one 
or two rows through the center of each 
plat at points marked by the corn marker. 

PROFITS OF FRUIT GROWING. 

Will it pay? This is the first question a 
live man will ask when about to undertake 
any enterprise. As they would say in 
Dakota, "people don't go into business ex- 
clusively for their health." No. they want 
to make money, and why shouldn't they ? 
I get many letters like the following. 



which came recently, and which I copy 
word for word : 

Mr. Green — Dear Sir : I live in a city of 
7,000 people, and as there is no one here 
who makes small-fruit raising a businessr- 
I thought I would try it. I have always 
wanted a small farm, for I love to work 
among strawberiies, &c. I can buy a small 
farm, thirteen acres, not two miles from 
town. The land is sandy. Now, I would! 
like your advice. Can I make small fruits 
pay? I have a good business, but it is not 
just what I like. It is roofing. I long to 
have a farm. Please answer soon, and 
oblige. Yours truly, W. H. K., Defiance, 
Ohio. 

I reply to this man as follows : Yes, you 
can make small-fruit growing pay if you 
set about it properly and are willing to 
work. Yes, sir ; nothing is mca'e -certain 
than that you can make it pay. There is 
no crop grown that can be made to pro- 
duce so much profit from an acre of ground 
as strawberries ; next raspberries and 
blackberries ; next grapes, currants, etc. 
But do not forget that you are not at pres- 
ent an experienced fruit-grower, but a 
roofer, and that you have much to learn 
about fruit-growing. I would not advise 
you to drop roofing suddenly, and depend 
wholly on fruit-growing inexperiencd. 
Stick to one trade until you learn another. 
Buy or rent your thirteen acres, make it 
your home, set out one-third of an acre of 
strawberries, one-third of an acre of black 
and red raspberries, and one- third of an 
acre of blackberries, currants and grapes. 
I will suppose that you are a man possess- 
ing some money, but not independent. 
Your fruits will bring you in no money the 
first year, unless by sales of plants, there- 
fore I advise that you continue roofing 
until your income from fruits is large 
enough to meet your necessities. This acre 
of fruit is a small beginning, and I recom- 
mend small beginnings for those inexpe- 
rienced. You can learn as rapidly by cul- 
tivating this acre as though you had ten or 
twenty acres and your mistakes will not 
be so "serious. As you gain experience you 
can increase your plantation from the in- 
crease of your own plants. There are 
thousands upon thousands of just such 
places as Defiance, where no one produces 
fruit, and the supply is shipped from a 
distance, and where any intelligent man 
who likes to grow fruits can make fruit- 
growing pay well. 

A man recently came here to learn about 
starting fruit-growing, saying he proposed 
to plant nothing but black raspberries. I 
told him he would make a mistake by 
omitting strawberries and blackberries, for 
if he planted all of these he would have 
months of continuous picking for his four 
children, instead of only two weeks, and 
they might pick all ; while if confined to 
black raspberries, all ripening in so short a 



TRANSPLANTIISTQ -DIRECTIONS. 



21 



time, he would have to employ other 
pickers. Then his customers for one fruit 
would be customers for the others as they 
ripened, and they would look to him for 
continuous supplies, and the same expendi- 
ture for baskets and crates would do for all. 
He saw the point at once and did as advised. 



Directions for Transplanting. 



PREPARING THE SOIL. 

For Fruit Trees, the condition of the soil 
must be such as would be adapted to grow 
successfully farm crops. If the land on 
which you are to plant your trees is not 
in condition to support these, you can 
make it so by thoroughly underdraining 
and deep plowing. You may enrich it by 
turning under clover, applying barn-yard 
manure, or where it can be obtained, vege- 
table mold or muck without stint. The 
last is well adapted for producing a large 
amount o£ fibrous roots, and it is through 
these that the tree is fed. Muck can be 
used also on a mulch after planting. It 
keeps the soil cool and moist. Corn or po- 
tato ground is well suited for planting trees 
or plants, as the sods, which prevent good 
planting, are rotted. 

PREPARING THE TREES FOR PLANTING. 

Cut off the bruised ends of the I'oots, 
though not absolutely necessary, it is a 
benefit. The size of the top should corres- 
pond with the amount of roots. If few 
roots, cut back or thin out the tops accord- 
lingly. 

PLANTING. 

The hole must be large enough to receive 
the roots freely, without cramping or bend- 
ing them from their natural position ; the 
larger the better. Let the tree be the same 
depth it stood in the nursery, and not 
deeper, except in cases of Dwarf Trees. 
These latter should be set so that the point 
of union should come two or three inches 
below the surface of the ground. The tree 
being held upright, the finest and best earth 
I from the surface shoule be carefully worked 
, among the roots with the fingers, fill every 
I space, and bring every root in contact with 
t it. Set the tree as firm as a post, but leave 
- the surface filling light and loose. 

MULCHING. 

This is done by placing a layer of coarse 
manure from three to six inches deep, ex- 
tending one or two feet further in each di- 
rection than the roots. This protects the 
earth about the roots against drying or bak- 
ing with wind and sun, retains to it the 
requisite moisture, and obviates all occasion 
for the pi'actice, generally injurious of the 
watering of newly planted trees. 

PRUNING. 

The stem should now be put in condition 
for the formation of the top, by removing 
all the limbs to the point where it is desired 



to have the top ; then cut back each remain- 
ing limb, leaving from four to six buds of 
last season's growth. In the absence of 
any limbs suitable to form a top, cut the 
tree down to the requisite height, leaving 
the dormant buds to make the top. 

This business of pruning vigorously at 
the time of setting, is generally a very un- 
grateful one to the planter, as it injures, 
for a time, the appearance of the tree to an 
unpracticed eye. It should, however, be 
unhesitatingly performed, all the branches 
to the extent of at least one-half the length 
of the previous year's growth being re- 
moved. Care should also be used to give 
the proper form to the tree. The head may 
be left high or low, as the taste of the plan- 
ter may prefer, or as the nature of the tree, 
in some cases may require. 

No stock planted in the fall should be 
pruned till the hard frost has left in the 
spring, but before the sap starts. 

STAKING. 

If the trees are tall or in exposed situa- 
tions, they should be supported by stakes 
to prevent injury from the action of the 
wind. Staking is done in the best manner 
by driving two strong stakes firmly into the 
ground, one on each side ot the tree, about 
a foot distant from it, and fastening the tree 
between them with bands of straw or other 
soft material, so that it may be kepi; in an 
upright position without chafing, till the 
roots obtain a firm hold upon the soil. We 
avoid the expense of staking by making 
the earth very firm, and by straightening if 
bent over by wind. But with very tall 
trees, staking is beneficial. 

CULTIVATION AFTER PLANTING, AND TRAINING 

Many cultivators, after taking great 
trouble and expense in selecting and 
planting their trees, fail of success by 
neglecting that after care and attention 
which is equally essential. Caterpillars 
and canker worms, grubs and borers, slugs 
and aphis, disease and blight, must be 
watched for, fought against and remedies 
faithfully applied. The wants of the grow- 
ing tree must be carefully foreseen, and a 
faithful effort made to insure health and 
productiveness. 

The requirements of pruning vary some- 
what according to the kind of tree; we pre- 
fer, however, low training for all trees, for 
dwarf trees especially. The pruning 
should be done each year, so that no neces- 
sity may arise for cutting large limbs. 
Care must always be used to keep the head 
of the tree open and well balanced, cutting 
away the limbs which may be superfluous. 
Trees should be trimmed as early as pos- 
sible to the height it is intended the future 
head should be, that the cutting off of large 
limbs may not in future be necessary. This 
should be avoided when possible, as decay 
is liable to commence at the point of sepa- 
ration, and extend into the trunk. When 
such removal is absolutely necessary, the 



23 



. TRANSPLANTING DIRECTIONS. 



wound should be carefully pared smooth, 
and a covering of paint or grafting wax 
applied, to protect it from the action of the 
weather. 

Dwarf trees, particularly of the pear and 
apple, while 3 oung, requu'e more pruning 
than any other kind of tree, in order to 
bring the top to a suitable form. For the 
first two or three years after planting, fully 
one-half the growth of these of the previous 
year should be removed, by heading in or 
reducing the length of each limb. The top 
limbs require to be cut back more, the low- 
er limbs less, thus producing a more equal 
distribution of sap, and consequent vigor to 
the lower limbs with the upper. After the 
ti-ee has passed say to the third or fourth 
year from planting, the requirement of 
pruning is only to keep it in symmetrical 
shape, and prevent particular limbs from 
taking a disproportionate gro"wth. Limbs 
so inclined must be headed back suiHciently, 
and all superfluous wood upon the tree 
kept promptly removed. This- regularly 
attended to, will obviate the occurrence of 
any necessity for amputating large limbs. 

Those who are obliged to plant trees in 
fields of grass or grain, should see that all 
such are carefully mulched with coarse 
manure, and that the ground is kept loose 
and moist about the trees. A hoed crop is 
greatly preferable in such plantations for 
the first five years. After this time, stand- 
ard apples, pears and cherries will grow 
and produce fairly in turf. Dwarf trees, 
plum and peaches should be thoroughly 
cultivated. 

SUMMER PINCHING. 

Those who are impatient to see fruit upon 
their trees, as is often the case, particularly 
with regard to trees tardy in coming to 
bearing, may expedite the fulfillment of 
their wishes by employing the process of 
summer pinching. In the month of July 
pinch off the young shoots ; this retards for 
the time the flow of sap, and hastens the 
formation of fruit buds. 

GRAPE VINES. 

Require a dark, mellow, well-drained soil, 
deeply worked, and well enriched with a 
warm, sunny exposure. In planting give 
the roots plenty of room; spread them out 
not more than six inches under the surface, 
and settle the soil fiirmly around them. 
Soapsuds, sink water and urine are good 
fertilizers. Nothing better than leaves and 
trimmings of vines buried around the 
roots. 

Pruning. — Vines, when set, should be cut 
back to within three or four buds of the 
root. In November, or early in the spring, 
before the sap starts, in open culture, they 
should be pruned liberally. In pruning 
rather tender vines, leave more wood than 
is needed, as some may be killed, and finish 
pruning in spring as soon as the leaves are 
nearly developed, when the life of the vine 



may be seen. Do not pick off the foliage. 
The leaves, not the fruit, should be exposed 
to the sun. We urge this point, as thous- 
ands err here, and grapes are generally 
mismanaged. The two gi-eat errors are in 
neglecting to cut off useless wood in the 
fall or spring,- and in depriving the plant 
of necessary foliage by close pruning in 
summer. T^o obviate overbearing, reduce 
the vines by close pruning, so as to prevent 
much fruit from setting. If too much sets, 
thin it in season, that the juices of the 
vines may not be wasted on what must be 
removed. 



Should have a strong soil and be kept 
under constant cultivation. Mulching is of 
special value. Raspberries and blackber- 
ries should have the old wood cut out each 
year, and new canes pinched off when two 
feet high. Strawberries should be mulched 
late in the fall, uncover crowns early in 
spring, remove mulch after fruiting, and 
spade in light dressing of manure. If set 
for fruit, keep the runners off. Currants 
and gooseberries need heavy mulching and 
pruning, so that new wood will have room 
to grow. The implement shown in the 
illustration will b'^ found useful for trans- 
planting small fruits. 

SPECIAL RULES FOR FALL PLANTING. 

All small fruits and small shrubs should 
have the earth banked up aroi^nd them at 
least two-thirds their height the first win- 
ter. This prevents the frost heaving them, 
and sheds the water. This coating can be 
advantageously covered with loose manure. 
Large trees should be staked firmly : also 
have the earth banked up around them at 
least one foot or eighteen inches. These 
protections must all be removed in early 
spring, as soon as the frost has left the 
ground. 

HOW TO WINTER TREES PROCURED IN THE 
FALL. 

The practice of procuring supplies of trees 
in the fall is becoming more and more gen- 
eral as each season demonstrates its wisdom. 
It is a more favorable time than spring, 
because of the colder weather, and the 
lighter pressure of business with nursery- 
men, the freighting companies and the 
planter. Even when fall planting is not 
desirable by reason of the severity of the 
climate, the stock may be procured in tlie 
fall, and thus be on hand ready for the 
opportune moment in the spring. To 
insure success you have only to get the 
trees before freezing "weather and bury them 
in the following manner : 

Choose a dry spot where no water will 
stand during the winter, and with no grass 
near it to invite mice. Dig a trench, throw- 
ing out enough dirt to admit one layer of 
roots below the surface, and place the trees 
in it, inclined at an angle of forty-five 
degrees or more. Widen the trench, thro w- 



HOW FARMERS MAY BEGIN. 



23 



ing the soil among the I'oots in position. 
Place another layer in the trench, reclining 
the tops on the others, and so on until all 
are in the trench. Then finish by throwing 
Tip more soil. It is also well to bank up the 
earth around the sides to insure more thor- 
ough protection. Care should be taken 
to fill solid all the interstices among the 
roots. In the spring ihe roots will be found 
to have formed the granulations necessary 
to the production of new spongioles and 
when planted at the proper time will start 
to immediate growth. Use only finely pul- 
verized soil. 

If the trees are frozen when received, 
they should be buried immediately in the 
earth, tops and all, and allowed to thaw in 
this condition. These transplanting rules, 
not my own, I have amended and corrected. 
I do not know who should have credit. 

What Poor Men Should Do. 

I often ask myself as I pass a small farm, 
located near a village, "Why does not this 
man i-aise fruits ?" If I were in his place I 
could make four times the money he re- 
ceives." But at a second thought I see (1) 
that the man has no experience with fruits 
and that he must consume some time in 
learning their habits; (2) that it would cost 
him something for plants and trees, and 
that he may not be able to buy them; (3) 
that very likely he requires the produce of 
every acre for the maintenance of his 
family from month to month, and that if 
he plants fruit he might run short of money 
before they came into bearing. The proper 
thing for a person so situated would be to 
invest $5 or less in strawberry, raspberry 
and blackberry plants, get experience in 
cultivating them, and increase his planting 
with plants of his own growing. 



How Fanners May Begin. 



' Young men adapt themselves to new oc- 
cupations more readily than those older, 
, therefore it is well to give one of the boys 
I an opportunity to begin fruit-growing. Set 
I aside a field for that purpose, and let him 
J manage it. You will be surprised to learn 
how quickly he catches ideas, and the 
; rapidity with which he masters the situa- 
1 tion. Fruit culture conflicts with farm work 
at times, but in this way each could attend 
I to his own affairs. Fruit-growing, indus- 
■• triously and intelligently pursued, is now 
and ever will be a profitable and delightful 
occupation, I know of no means by which 
the soil can be made to yield so profitably, 
but it reqiiires closer observation and study, 
and more thought and attention than is 
ordinarily given to farming. Fi'uit-grow- 
ing for drying may be profitably pursued in 
any section where the soil is suitable. Black- 
cap raspberries are the most profitable of 
the smaU fruits for this purpose, the berries 



netting as much profit when dried as when 
sold fresh. A dry house suitable for this 
purpose can be made for $15 by an ingeni- 
ous person. 

My friend began fruit-growing on a farm 
of 100 acres without experience. He rented 
to a neighbor on shares for grain-grow- 
ing, all but ten acres. He purchased 1,200 
strawberry, 1,500 raspberry (red and black) 
and 100 blackberry plants; 120 grape vines, 
a few currants and gooseberries, 200 peach, 
800 apple, 100 pear and 50 quince trees, 
costing altogether $100, and embracing the 
leading varieties. The 300 apple trees occu- 
pied six acres. Excepting grapes, quinces 
and pears, all the above fruits were planted 
either in or between the rows of apple 
trees. He layered grapes and raspberries. 
The strawberries and some other species 
multiplied fast, thus the second year he had 
a stock of plants of his own growing for 
further planting. Thus he extended the 
enterprise gradually each season, buying 
only a few improved varieties, and extend- 
ing his pear, peach and quince plats. 

The first season there was no income from 
fruits. The second year his fiTiit sales 
amounted to $23, the third year to $141, the 
fourth $354, the fifth to $576, yet the 
quinces, pears and apples had not arrived 
at bearing age, the peaches bore one season, 
the grapes were just ready to give returns, 
the strawberry crop had been cut short two 
seasons by late spring frosts, and only eight 
acres had been occupied. The fruit .sales 
had been made at extremely low price-^5 to 
7 cents per quart — and much work had been 
done in a roundabout manner. It "w ill be 
safe to estimate his receipts annually from 
the ten acres, w^hen all the trees are of bear 
ing age, allowing for occasional failure of 
some species, at $1,000, from which, at a 
rough estimate, $400 should be deducted for 
labor, gathering, marketing, etc. These 
figures are not startling — they simply rep- 
resent what the novice may reasonably ex- 
pect from similar venture. One experienced 
could do much better, for it is not impossi- 
ble to secure $1,000 from one acre in fruits. 



The Selection of Varieties of Fruits 



This is the question that is asked on all 
sides, and is one of the greatest importance. 
People say they look over the catalogues 
and are more perplexed than when they be- 
gan, asking what they shall do, having no 
experience of their own. My advice is, to 
get the opinion of the most reliable fruit- 
grower in your vicinity, if possible, for 
those living hundreds of miles away can- 
not so well take into account the conditions 
of the locality, and often only actual ex- 
perience in your localitywill decide what 
varieties are the best. If no neighbor is 
well posted you must get advice from a dis- 
tance, and experienced men even a thous- 
and miles away can help you much, by 



24 



UNCEETAINTIES AND CERTAINTIES. 



recommending varieties that do well every- 
where. Do not plant many varieties. Two 
or three varieties of each species is often 
enough, to begin with, at least. It would 
be folly for me to attempt in this 
book to give a list of varieties for each 
state. Remember that those varieties suit- 
able for the north aften fail in the south, 
and that those that succeed in the east often 
fail in the far west, and vice versa. If you 
will state clearly where you are and what 
you desire to do, enclosing stamp, I will 
gladly advise you by a personal letter. 



Uncertainties of Fruit Culture. 



The uncertainties of life are not neces- 
sarily calamities. To be certain of the 
future leads us to be watchful, diligent, 
prosperous. Certainties induce us to lie 
back complacently — uncertainties urge us 
to renewed effort. Uncertainties give 
prizes to the practical, the diligent, the pro- 
gressive. I mention a few : 

1. The uncertainty as to which may 
> prove to be the best varieties now and in 

the future. It would seem probable that 
the masses will consider quality more and 
beauty and quantity less. 

2. The remarks that may be indulged in 
over a new variety by those not posted. 

3. The causes of the diseases of fruit 
trees and plants and the remedies. Pre- 
scribing for them is like prescribing for 
babies— they have no speech and cannot 
tell us where the trouble occurs. 

4. Whether, considering the growing in- 
terest taken in small fruit culture of recent 
years, large fruits will ever again maintain 
their former imposing supremacy. 

5. Whether there is any limit to the im- 
provement of varieties. 

6. Regarding the different effects of frost 
on plants in the same field. An elevation 
of one or two feet often appears to save 
them, and plants on the same level with 
those destroyed are often saved, through 
conditions of the soil about or benea'th 
them. I have found the blossoms of mul- 
ched strawberries more seriously injured 
than those unmulched, where the soil was 
kept loose. 

7. The astonishing quantity of fruit a 
community, whether rich or poor, can be 
educated to buy and eat. 

8. Whether new vaxieties of fruit ap- 
proaching the ideal in one direction tends 
to weakness or defects in another. 

9. Whether the fruit or the seed is the 
primary object of nature. 

10. The cause of occasional late straw- 
berry blossoms being pistillate on her- 
maphrodite plants. 

11. The cause of the entire destruction of 
fruit germs after blossoming, in the apple 
and pear. 

12. Why seedlings are apt to succeed 
best where they originate. 1 



Certainties of Fruit Culture. 

There are as many certainties connected 
with fruit-growing as with other enter- 
prises. I sometimes think that greater cer- 
tainty would bring less profit to those who- 
strive with heads and hands and deserve 
to succeed. To succeed without effort is 
not in the nature of things, nor for our 
greatest advancement. We struggle for 
success, and not only secure it, but greater 
strength to achieve other victories. I will 
notice a few certainties : 

1. It is certain that if we attend to the 
wants of our orchards they will beautify 
our homes and make them attractive to our 
families and neighbors. 

2. That apple growing is profitable for 
stock feeding if proper varieties are se- 
lected. 

3. That our occupation is healthful not 
only to those who pursue it, but in its 
effects on those who consume our product. 
Fruit growers do more to bankrupt the 
grave-digger than doctors. 

4. The change from grain growing to 
fruit growing is a great rest for the soil, 
enabling it to recuperate. Fruit growing 
does not so rapidly exhaust the seed produc- 
ing element. 

5. Fruit growing does not beget laziness. 
Its promise of beautiful tinted specimens 
and rich clusters urge us to do our best, 
and having done this we have no time for 
idleness. 

6. That we approach improvement in va- 
rieties of fruit as we approach great inven- 
tions. One successful invention leads to 
another. One valuable fruit leads to an- 
other more valuable. 

7. That the improvement in varieties of 
fruit appear to come in groups. The Sou- 
hegan family are of the Doolittle type, 'the 
Gregg family of the Mammoth Cluster type. 
Worden, Moore's Early and other grapes 
are of the Concord type. Amsden, Alexan- 
der, Waterloo and other peaches are of 
Hale's Early type. 

8. That there are other methods than 
thi-ough seedlings by which new varieties 
may be secured. We ignore the fact that 
new varieties originate from sports. It is 
time that we recognize this, and derive all 
the benefit possible. 

9. It is certain that our methods of fruit- 
growing have not reached perfection. Con- 
sumers are payiag high prices for fresh 
fruits. Compare the price paid for our 
fresh fruits with those paid for raisins, figs, 
etc., put up and sold at much greater ex- 
pense. 

10. It is certain that the people of this 
country at large are insufficiently supplied 
with fruit. In traveling two thousand 
miles across the country one's view from 
the car -windows ^fvould impress the opinion 
that this was not a fruit-growing country. 
While there are many who appreciate fine 



POSSIBILITIES AND CONDITIONS. 



25 



fruits, the average ruralist is ignorant, blind, 
Indifferent regarding them. 

11. That many fruits appear to ripen 
faster during the night tlian during the 
day, yet the sunny side ripens sooner than 
the shady. The closer fruits are to the 
earth the earlier they ripen. 

12. If we find bnds no larger than our 
thumbs struggling with destructive worms 
in our nurseries we need no prophet to 
assure us that they are friends. 

13. That if we apply fertilizers to fruit 
indiscriminately we are in the position of 
the farmer who feeds his cattle without ob - 
serving their likes or dislikes — their wants 
or abhorrences. 

14. That one significant evidence that 
the interests of fruit-growing are alive and 
advancing is that the veterans who went 
forth proclaiming a new dispensation, the 
men who laid foundations, whose zeal 
gleamed brightly, and whose enthusiasm 
was kindled before many of us were born, 
are appreciated and honored. 



Possibilities and Conditions. 



Fruit growing for market is comparatively 
a new industry, even here. Seventy years 
ago Western New York was a forest. Our 
pioneers became grain growers through 
necessity. The children of this grain-grow- 
ing people have followed the footsteps of 
their fathers, their cry being continually, 
" Wheat, wheat ! by wheat we live or die! " 
{yet many of them died through fat pork). 
Thus it is, that the fertile valley of the Gene- 
see has gardens more destitute of fruits, than 
many of the Western states. Our grain- 
growers who have gone west have been 
drawn out of the ruts of their fathers ; thus 
their gardens there are more often fragrant 
with strawberries on each returning June. 

In few branches of industry have there 
been greater developments than in fruit- 
growing. Our pioneers had no fruits except 




O H. " 

those of stump lots, marshes and broken for- 
ests. First a taste for fine fruit had to be 
acquired. Tins taste is yet crude, but far in 
advance of the past. Next came methods 
of canmng. It is but a few years since a 
pound of sugar was used to preserve a pound 
of fruit. Next came experiment in cold 
houses, not yet perfected. Then followed 
the heavy demand from our European 



neighbors, and with it the evaporating boom, 
itself a revolution. With these develop- 
ments, were opened new frait producing 
territories, not dreamed of in the earlier 
days, and many of the Southern and South- 
western states began to plant early fruits 
for northern markets. Western New York 
has long smce been shorn of her supremacy 
for wheat growing — we will do exceedingly 
well if we mamtain our present status for 
fruit-growing. I wonder that we do not 
give more attention to small fruit culture. 
We should have ice-houses in ■which to 
store berries as soon as picked, and refrige- 
rator cars in which to ship. 

The horticultural societies of the West and 
South-west are numerous, and doing good 
work. But the great mass of our fruit 
growers are not a^s^ake to the possibilities of 
their vocation. They stay at home nursing 
the fallacy that they have' learned all worth 
knowing. Here the question arises, " How 
can instruction best be given in fruit grow- 
ing and ornamental gardening":"' Not by 
preaching, for those will not come to listen 
whom we desire to benefit. Not through 
the press, for our papers are laid aside 
unread, by those not interested in the sub- 
ject. There is but one effectual method, 




">At^ 



and that is by example — object-teacliing. 
Let any fruit grower lay out a fruit farm 
among grain growers, and they will soon 
learn through their eyes and mouths, what 
preaching or editorials would never have 
taught. One after another "will transform a 
wheat field by planting therein the various 
fruits, until the epidemic becomes general. 
There is one other method I will propose: 
Let us announce a cattle show and horse 
race in the rear of a fruit farm during the 
ripe berry season. If the visitors would 
not neglect the show proper in admiration 
of the berries, they would not be human. 
And after learning ho"w bountifully the 
earth produces these luxuries, they would 
become willing converts. 

There are many problems for progressive 
fruit growers. There are men in every 
State on the continent who are studying, 
experimenting, investigating, digging up 
advanced ideas. How shall individuals be 
benefited by this widely separated work, if 
not by communication through the press, by 
attendance at horticultural meetings, or 
i through reports of such gatherings? 



26 



, INJURIOUS INSECTS. 



Insects Injurious to Fruits — 
Remedies. 




BY CHAS. D. ZIMMERMAN. 

Whenever a strong poibon can be applied, 
Paris green is the most effectual. The ex- 
act amount can only be determined by ex- 
perience ; from a teaspoonful to a table- 
spoonful of the poison, to a barrel of water 
are recommended. To use it dry, mix one 
poimd to twenty- 
iive pounds of flour 
or plaster. London 
purple is cheaper 
and as effective. It 
is finely powdered, 
and more flour can 
be Ubed than for 
(Paris green, about 
one to fifty, or in 
water one pound to 
from 100 to 200 gal- 
lons of water ; it is 
not soluble. Noth- 
ing is more deadly 
to insects than oils. 
Insects do not 
breathe through the 
mouth, but have 
respiratory organs, 
generally situated on the side of the abdo- 
men ; these organs are obstructed by oil, 
which is the usual cause of death. Kero- 
sene is the most deadly of oils, but is injuri- 
ous to vegetation, and should only be used 
diluted. To mix oils with water, first com- 
bine them with milk, then dilute to the 
desired degree with water. 

Insects that Trouble Iiarge Fruits. 

Codling Moth. — Paper bands, applied 
by June 20th, and examined every ten days 
until August 25th, and again after all the 
fruit is gathered, or the Paris green applica- 
tion already referred to. 

Imported Oyster-Shell Bark Louse. — 
Apply pure raw Linseed Oil in June. 

Pear and Cherry Tree Slugs. — One or 
two dustings of air-slacked lime is a good 
remedy. There are two broods, one in June 
and again in August. 

Plant Lice.— Heavy and continued rains 
destroy them. Tobacco water is one of the 
best artificial medicines. 

Tent Caterpillar. —Readily destroyed 
by twisting the nests into a rough stick and 
tramping it under foot, on a cool day or early 
in the morning when they are at home ; and 
prevented by cvitting off and burning the 
twigs in winter that contain the mass of 
eggs laid in circles on them. 

Plum Curculio. — This breeds in nearly 
all store fruit, and disfigm-es but does not 
breed in apples and pears. No better rem- 
edy than the jarring process, if persisted in. 
Commence as soon as the fruit has set and 
jar three times a week for abottt three 
weeks ; it need not be done early in the 



morning, as we have been told, as all cur- 
culios "play possum" when jarred and are 
readily taken. 

Bud worms. — These two small moths and 
perhaps others, are very troublesome in the 
orchard and nursery by destroying the buds 
and smaU leaves just as they are about to 
expand ; they are very difficult to destroy 
by any poisonous hquid, as they tie the 
small leaflets together to protect themselves. 
Hand picking is all I can suggest, but 4 
better remedy or preventative is wanted. i 

Peach tree borer.— The eggs are laid at 
the collar, during July, August and Sep- 
tember by the day-flying moth, resembling 
a blue and yeUow wasp. Cut them out with 
a knife and prevent with tarred felt as 
acommended for the apple tree borer. 

Climbing cut- worms. — These have been 
complained of as having destroyed fruit 
buds during the night on trees. Try anything 
that wiU prevent their climbing the trees, 
like the rope and tin bandage, as recom- 
mended for the canker worms. 

Flat -Headed Apple Tree Borer. —t 
Foim.d under the bark of apple and white 
oak, occasionally on other trees. As it 
attacks diseased trees principally the rem- 
edy is to have healthy trees only. Apple 
trees that are sunburned are very subject to 
its attack. Use the knife and wash with 
soft soap about the Inst of May. 

Round-headed Apple Tree Borer. — The 
female beetle lays its eggs at the collar of 
apple and quince trees, from June 15th to 
July 25th. Cut out the larv« with a knife,, 
and prevent egg-laying by placing a sheet 
of tarred roofing felt around the collar, 
slightly in the ground and about eight inch-- 
es high, tied at the top. 

Canker Worm. — The females are wing- 
less and crawl up the trees on warm days in 
winter and spring to deposit their eggs. A 
rope tliree-fourths of an inch thick, cut long 
enough to reach round the tree and fastened 
with a couple of nails; over this a tin band 
three inches wide, placed so that the rope 
will be in the middle of the tin will prevent 
their ascending. [Paris green water (a 
spoonful of paris green per barrel) ajaplied 
to the foliage by spraying with a force pump 
is an effectual remedy. I have tried it, in- 
tending to give two sprayings, but found 
once enough to destroy the pests. — c. a. g.] 

Insects Injurious to Small Fruits. 

The strawberry worm is the larvae of a 
small, jet black saw fly. The eggs are laid 
in the leaf -stalk about the middle of May, 
those of the second brood in July. Readily 
destroyed by hellebore or alum-water, one 
otmce to a gallon of warm water. 

Gooseberry Fruit- worm.— -The larvee of 
a small moth which lays its eggs on the 
fruit as soon as they have blossomed ; one 
larvEe often destroys ten to fifteen berries. 
Hand picking appears to be the only remedy. 

White Grub.— The larvae of the May 
beetle ; verv destructive to strawberry beds 



HOW TO MAKE MONEY. 



37 







•f planted on lands where grass was grown 
ess than three years previous. The eggs 
I'xe usually deposited on grass lands or on 
lid matted strawberry beds, and as the 
;rubs are three years coming to maturity, 
uch lands may be used accordinglj^ The 
)eetles are sluggish during the daytime and 
:an easily be shaken on to sheets from trees. 

Imported Currant Borer. — This is the 
arvse of a transparent winged moth, and is 
iiuch more troublesome than our native 
pecies. Cut out and burn all infested 
branches. 

J Gooseberry Span-worm. — The larvae of 
H pale yellow day-flying moth, of sluggish 
.iiabits and easily caught in a net. Use 
liv^hifce hellebore on the leaves. 

Imported Currant Worm. — The larvae 
if a yellow saw-fly, easily destroyed by 
ivhite hellebore, and I am told that alum 
lissolved in warm water, an ounce to a gal- 
on, is very effectual. There are two 
iroods. 

Raspberry Twig Girdler. — A small bee- 
;le, which deposits an egg near the end of a 
iwig and then girdles it. Cut and burn the 
fwigs. Tree crickets are sometimes trouble- 
iiome, they lay a row of eggs lengthwise 
into grapevines, also in some trees and 
:hrubs. Cut and burn the twigs. 

■ Strawberry Leaf Roller. — The larvge 
>f a small moth, which rolls the leaves 
bout itself for protection while feeding. 
land picking may pay on a small patch, or 
iilow under as soon as picked and set anew 
a. a remote tplace. 

Grape Phylloxera.— No efficient rem- 
dy has, as yet, been discovered, although a 
»rize of three hundred thousand francs has 
teen offered by the French government. Mr. 
sidor Bush states very clearly that the 
*hylloxera has existed on our native vines 



for centuries, and does not destroy them, 
but may injure and weaken them. It does 
kill all European varieties of grape vines. 
American vines injured by Phylloxera 
would probably revive by applying fertili- 
zers. 

Grape vine plea beetle.— This steel blue 
beetle has a great notion for nipping the 
vine in the bud ; its brown shiny larvee are 
also great feeders on grape leaves in the 
early summer. The beetles are easily taken 
by jarring the vines early in the morning or 
on a cool day, over an inverted unbrella. 
For the larvae apply air slacked lime. 



How to Make Money. 

This is an iateresting subject. How can 
it be accomplished ? First you must make 
an effort — a big effort — exhibiting all the 




push and perseverance there is in you, no 
matter what the undertaking may be. The 
Almighty has planned that money cannot 
be made without a struggle. Even the 
swindler and impostor have to make a a ef- 
fort to entrap their victims. Having made 
an effort, persist in it. Push! push ! ! push ! ! ! 
Never give up nor leave the enterprise you 
have considerately selected, for others that 
for the moment may appear more promis- 
ing. A great cause of failure is the mistake 
people make in choosing a vocation, and in 



28 



HOW TO MAKE MONEY. 



ever afterward trying to change for the 
better. Such changes are dangerous and 
cause serious drawbacks. If every young 
man could select his proper vocation when 
he begins life and stick to it persistently 
until old age, the number of successes 
would be increased a thousand fold. Select 
an honest business. None other pays in the 
long run. Select a business whereby you 
can most benefit your fellow men. Do not 
do this simply from kindness of heart, but 
for the further reason that such kinds of 
business pay best. Money is made by sup- 
plying wants — the more important the want 
the better the chances of success. Ponder 
this point well. Supposing you are possess- 
ed with the idea that the homes of some 
Western settlement should be ornamented 
with fine paintings, and forthwith set up a 
studio and offer them for sale. You would 
soon learn that the good people could get 
along very comfortably without the paint- 
ings, and that you would not supply a " long 
felt want." There are communities where 
paintings will sell, but you have not located 
wisely for that pursuit. If you had offered 
boots and shoes, axes, hammers, plc"ghs, 
cultivators, etc., you would have found 
customers. Therefore study w^hat the peo- 
ple need, and how you can best supply it, 
always considering your natural tendencies, 
yielding to that which best suits your indi- 
vidual taste to a certain extent. 

Advertise — "How?" you ask. There 
are a thousand ways. You can advertise 
by selling cheap; by selling high for super- 
ior goods ; by driving handsome horses (I 




don't advise it); by keeping a tidy and in- 
viting place of business; by attractive signs; 
by unusual attention to patrons; by selling 
some staple down below cost; by a good 
pew at church; by hand bills, dodgers, news- 
papers, balloons, painted fences and rocks , 
and other devices not yet dreamed of. But 
whatever the method, I advise you to ad- 
vertise. If you have but little capital, do 
not spend it all for space in the newspapers. 
Go moderately ; you have much to learn, 
for advertising is a fine art, requiring long 
experience to attain the best success. It 



may be claimed that all successful men ad- 
vertise. Doctors often say they do not 
advertise, but they do. There are numerous 
ways they can do it without a line in the 
papers. Well I remember a new doctor 
that came into Rochester and drove a two- 
wheeled yellow cart, when other sucli con- 
veyances were never seen. Everybody 
wanted to know, • ' who is that man ? " He 
made himself known at once. 

Most people begin with but little money. 
Keep yours in your business. Do not on 
the start invest it in even a house to live in, 
for it will be much better for you to rent 
one and have the money to turn over and 
over again in trade. You will find numer- 
ous temptations to invest to advantage out- 
side your business. Do not do it until you 
can afford to lose what you thus invest. 
Ponder this point — it is a vital one. I have 
been through the miU and know whereof I 
speak. 

Limit your expenses to what you can af- 
ford. It is not necessary to live expensively 
in order to live well. Depend on strength- 
ening your credit by prompt payment of aU 
engagements more than by outside display in 
living, dressing or equipage. Figure closely 
on aU details, but when you see a goo(j 
chance to benefit trade be lavish ; don't 
scrimp when the investment of $1 will 
bring $10. Keep watch of the times, and 
ahead of the times — herein lies one of the 
secrets of success. The man who comes 
slouching into the 
dock after the fast 
boat has departed 
always gets left. 
Don't get left, I 
implore you. Keep 
an eye out from 
the mast-head at 
the weather. If 
it looks squally, 
take in your sails. 
If all is promising 
put out every inch of canvas. Do not 
fear to take some risk. If you take no risks 
you cannot make a great success ; but gov- 
ern the extent of your risks by your ability 
to withstand loss. 

The business I have selected for life is 
fruit and tree grow^ing. It is a healthful 
business —consider that point. What is life 
worth to a man w^ho has no storaach ? I 
tramp about in the fresh air and sunshine 
and can digest tenijenny nails, whereas 
when cooped up in an office, I was distress- 
ed continually with the most simple food. 
It is an honest business. My children need 
not blush for me, and my patrons are not 
injured by what I sell them. It meets that 
' ' long felt want " that all are seeking for. 
The people are not well fed with fruits ; the 
face of the earth is barren of these necessi- 
ties where it should be laden with plenty. 
It is a profitable business — if not, how would 
the printer get paid for those car-loads of 




A PROPAGATING BED, 



39 



papers and catalogues, and the army of la- 
borers for all their picking, hoeing and dig- 
ging ? But you need not choose these pur- 
suits. You may have been designed for a 
doctor, a lawyer or an inventor. If you 
we'-e so designed, stick to it, my friend, 
though the heavens fall. Our nursery is 
simply an outgrowth of the fruit farm. 
People found that we had fine fruit and 
wanted the plants. From a local demand 
followed a trade with all parts of the United 
States that astonishes us. Any fruit grow- 
er having business ability may work up a 
profitable plant trade, gradually extending 
to trees and ornamentals. My advice has 
always been, begin slowly, gradually ex- 
tending as you gain experience, no matter 
what may be the business. 

Do as you agree; keep your pledges. 
Nothing weakens faith in men so much as 
quibbling, beating about the bush, and at- 
tempts at evasion of promises. I have 
known men to damage their reputations ir- 
reparably by backing out of a bargain, or 
breaking faith to save a few dollars. Do 
not sell yourself so cheaply. No; do as you 
agree and abide the consequences. You 
will thus soon learn to be exceedingly care- 
ful what you agree to do, and you will sel- 




dom be caught napping the second time 
when apparently profitable opportunities 
for ventures are offered. At the present 
moment a crisis has come to the farming 
community. So many have produced 
wheat and corn the markets are over-sup- 
plied. Look around you and see if some 
form of product can be grown that every 
new comer does not attempt. If your com- 
munity is buying berries and other fruits 
at good prices, or purchasing them from a 
distance, rest assured that there is an open- 
ing for money-making, if you have a taste 
for such work, by devoting yourself to fruit 
growing. There are many parts of the 
country where berries, etc., bring extrava- 
gant prices. Do not rely on such prices 
continuing long, but accept the situation 
and begin. This book was printed for your 
especial benefit. 



How to Lift the Burden. 



My son, put that log on the wagon. 

I cannot father. It weighs many tons, 
and exceeds the strength of a hundred men. 

You can put it on the wagon and I will 
teach you how. Chop and split it into 



lengths suitable to your strength. Now let 
this be a lesson to you. AU through life 
you will fijid heavy burdens to carry, heavy 
tasks to perform. Do not inspect them in bulk 
and become disheartened, neither grapple 
and attempt to master them with one efiiort. 
Perform what your strength will permit — a 
little each hour — each day. You will grad- 
ually become strong, and meet with success 
in the end. By attempting to lift a heavy 
log at onB effort, you might injure yourself 
beyond recovery. But by lifting a little 
at a time, you would, in a life time, move 
more logs than could be stored in a town- 
ship. Great success in life is secured by 
knowing your strength and lifting accord- 
ingly. By continuous and persistent effort 
rather than a momentary struggle. 

There is another way by which you can 
move heavy logs. There are many inven- 
tions designed for this purpose, the existence 
of which you do not suspect. In some 
instances you are only required to attach 
the grappling hooks, and the burden is 
borne wherever you desire. Remember 
that in all undertakings in life there is one 
way to proceed much better than all others. 
Investigate closely, assuring yourself that 
you are working by the best methods. Oth- 
erwise you will be lifting the log without 
appliances. Only the best methods lead to- 
success in this progressive and competitive 
age. If you cannot discover these methods 
you will see your rivals pushing ahead.. 
You will be outrun in the race. 



A Propagating- Bed, 



There are few nurseries in which the 
soil is naturally in the best condition 
for out-door propagation by cutting, etc. 
We remember a bed at Rochester made 
40 years ago by drawing 100 loads of 
sand on a small plot, and continually 
enriching and mixing it with the sur- 
rounding soil. Every year the bed bore 
a wonderful crop of vines, the stand being 
something remarkable. But an examina- 
tion would convince any person why the 
cuttings succeeded so well. The conditions 
of moisture and porosity were present, and 
the most careful attention was given. Any 
one may prepare a bed equally desirable, 
smaller or larger as their wants demand. If 
only designed for one year the expense 
would be considerable, but as it can be 
used thus forever, the cost is too small for 
consideration. If you have no sand to 
mix with your clayey loam use muck — say 
about as much muck as common soil, and 
mix well by plowing and cultivating, or 
spading. Before applying the sand or muck 
and after plowing, it would be a great ad- 
vantage to burn piles of brush on the soil. 
The benefit derived is not only from the 
ashes — the burning of the soil is an ad- 
vantage. Apply ashes, phosphate and well 
rotted manure freely, and have all weU 
mixed with the soil before planting. 



<30 



THE BERRY HARVEST. 



Berry Harvest. 



Wheat harvest brings in a busy season, 
but the berry harvest is one of greater 
anxiety, as small fruits are perishable, and 
must be sold at once as ^ ell as gathered. 
Begin a month in advance to get crates, 
boxes, picking trays, etc., on hand, and 
build new packing houses, vv^here necessary. 
These are often rude affairs. We have 
seen a pole borne by two crotched posts, 
on which boards rested, one end of the 
boards lying on the ground, answer in 
keeping off sunshine and storm. Some- 
times only the shade of a large tree is re- 
lied on. But sudden and severe storms 
are liable to occur, and most often the 
houses are sixteen feet square, with a nar- 
row passage way on one side through which 
only one row of pickers can pass at a 
time to deliver the berries, thus avoiding 
confusion. It should admit the air freely. 
On large fruit farms they must have many 
of these packing houses at convenient 
points. They must also have cheap cabins 
built in which pickers from a distance can 
sleep and cook. 

It requires some experience to manage 
berry pickers, especially when a large 
number are employed. They are easily in- 
fluenced to stop work at a critical moment, 
by some one discontented picker. Prevent 
this by making contracts with them for the 
w^hole season or no pay. It is useless to try 
to keep accounts with pickers, for if they 
^et the notion that your accounts are not 
what their memory calls for your books 
will be vv^orthless to convince them, and one 
dissatisfied picker will torment you worse 
than an army of ordinary creditors. Work 
entirely on the ticket sj^stem and it will 
save you vexation of spirit . But you can 
have tickets, each one of which will cover 
100 quarts picked, to pay out when liao^e to 
Tun short of small tickets. There are many 
kinds of tickets used, but mostly small 
ones with one, three and six quarts marked 
on them, or one, two and four, coiTespond- 
ing with the number of quarts the picking 
trays hold. Mr. Samuels' method is as fol- 
lows : "He has a card four inches in 
length by one and a half inches wide, on 
which a number of figures, are printed to 
represent quarts, ■with smaller figures below 
giving the sum of all above. The larger 
figures are punched out with a punch like 
a railroad conductor's, as the berries are 
brought in. A man stands at one of the 
packing house doors for this purpose, and 
punches out numbers, representing the 
quarts picked, attends to the berries and 
gives instructions about picking. This re- 
quires an experienced man, and one who is 
thoroughly honest, as it is easy to punch 
out figures representing more than is 
brought in by some favorite. " 

Govern the pickers with a firm hand. 
There is no other way. They will soon 
learn whether you intend " the rules " shall 



be obeyed, and whether you are in earnest 
in your commands. Rest assured that 
every advantage will be taken of weakness 
indiscipline. No less than two persons 
can manage a lot of pickers - often many 
more, according to the number employed. 
One person must be ready to receive the 
fruit as it comes into the fruit hous'e, pay 
out the tickets, and place the fmit in 
crates, or, where it is assorted, as the case 
may be; the other must be moving about 
the berry field cont inually , seeing that the 
pickers stick to the rows assigned them, 
that they pick clean, fill their baskets and 
put in no rubbish. Few men are suitable 
for this work — it requires a brigadier gen- 
eral. 

We recommend that every large berry 
grower have rules printed on cards, and 
that they be given to each picker when he 
is invited to begin work. We shall jise 
these rules on cards that represent one dol- 
lar due the picker, which will enable us to 
take up the smaller tickets. It will be 
worded thus on the back of card : When 
properly signed by us this ticket will show 
that one dollar is due you at the end of the 
picking season, providing you have worked 
faithfully to the end. If you lose this 
ticket you lose your money. 



Kules for Berry Pickers. 

1. No person is permitted to stop work 
for the day without permission. 

2. No children under eight years of age, 
no troublesome, complaining, dissatisfied, 
profane or improper talking persons al- 
lowed on the premises. 

3. Those who eat most berries and talk 
most accomplish the least work and are not 
wanted. 

4. Each picking tray will contain its 
quota of boxes, and no person will be 
permitted to take more quart boxes than 
the picking tray holds . 

5. Tickets will be given for each quart 
picked. If you lose these ■ tickets you lose 
your money. Do not trust others to count 
your tickets. Keep your tickets in pack- 
ages of one dollar each, so as to have them 
convenient to be proved when you are paid. 

6. Pickers will be paid at the end of the 
raspbei-ry season for picking both rasp- 
berries and stra'wberries, and not before. 
It is best for you to get your money all at 
once for then you know how much the 
season has brought you, and it is not con- 
sumed by piecemeal. We can not be both- 
ered by paying pickers as they happen to 
want change. 

7. If you can not pick all the berries in 
the row, if you can not pick without bruis- 
ing the fruit, or trampling on it ; if you 
can not fill > our boxes properly, or keep the 
fruit free from leaves and rubbish you will 
be discharged. 

8. You are not paid to make fun, to 
tramp on boxes and trays, or make a noise. 



MARKETING FRUITS. 



31 



All must be quiet and orderly or you will 
prevent others from working besides losing 
your own time. 

9. Any person found creating dissatis- 
faction among the pickers, by word or act, 
will be banished and never permitted to 
enter the place again. 

10. If found picking from other rows 
than that which has been given you to pick 
you will not be paid for picking such ber- 
ries. 

11. It is understood and agreed that all 
persons employed to pick our berries shall 
remain with us, picking w^henever and as 
long as their services are needed, and that 
should they stop picking sooner (unless on 
account of sickness), they forfeit all the 
money they have earned. This is under- 
stood to be a contract between us and every 
picker, and vidll be enforced. It is assumed 
also that you agree to keep all the rules 
herein laid down, and abide by all require- 
ments above set forth. If you can not 
agree to abide by these rules do not begin 
work . All tickets must be presented for 
payment within ten days after the close of 
the picking season. 



Marketinar Fruits. 



We publish elsewhere facts regarding the 
loss incurred in shipment of foreign fruits. 
If the losses of domestic fruits were cap- 
able of being shown it would astonish the 
reader, for there is often a wof ul lack of 
judgment or experience in putting them up 
and sorting, and often inattention on the 
part of the persons to whom they are sent 
for sale. Parker Earle is one of the most 
successful shippers. He stations men at 
important points to attend to shipments and 
sales, not feeUng satisfied to trust every- 
thing to men employed by others. The 
selling requires as much attention and ex- 
perience as growing. His fruits are picked 
before getting fully ripe, are assorted, 
packed to stand rough usage, and open at the 
end of the journey in tempting style. He 
ships in refrigerator cars, and stores in cold 
houses as soon as picked. We often see his 
fruit in the Roclaester market looking as 
fresh as when first picked in southern Illi- 
nois. 

We find the home market is most profit- 
able, and would advise all to make every 
effort to sell as near home as possible. 
Many people send fruit far away to market 
not knowing that larger profits could be 
made by manipulating and encouraging 
home sales. Learn what your home mar- 
ket requires and grow fruits to meet it. 
Make a home market. Grow berries so 
large and tempting they will sell them- 
selves. You will find that the more you 
sell the more you may sell . Your custom- 
ers will eat berries from habit, and consume 
bushels where formerly they consumed 
quarts. For instance take a locality where 



many persons are growing fruit on a large 
scale, and you will find more berries con- 
sumed there than elsewhere, and more 
easily sold, for the people have learned 
their value and formed the fruit eating 
habit. Distant shipments entail loss 
at best, crates are lost or smashed, 
there is an unexpected glut in the 
market, trains are delayed, or unlocked for 
events transpire to cut short profits. The 
home market is the best, rely on it mainly. 
If compelled to ship make arrangements 
beforehand with men whom you have found 
(on inquiry), are reliable. Never send to 
a total stranger, of whom you know noth- 
ing. Let one man at each point handle all 
you send to that place. Do not disappoint 
him when he expects a shipment. Your 
fruit will soon get a reputation with his 
customers, and if superior will command 
better prices than if sent to different firms, 
who know less about you or your goods. 
If shipping a large lot telegraph the amount 
and the hour of shipment so that he may 
be making a sale for it before its arrival. 
There are many growers who sell entirely 
through commission houses, and who are 
well satisfied with the results. But remem- 
ber it requires experience to pack and ship 
and make it pay, and that for the novice 
the home market is the mainstay and safe 
anchor. Strawberries intended for distant 
shipment should be picked every day, and 
raspberries every other day. 



Ten Questions AnsTv^ered. 



Question 1. Is fruit-growing profitable. 
Answer. It is profitable if conducted with 
skill and perseverance. Without experi- 
ence we cannot be skillful. Without perse- 
verance we can accomulish nothing. 

Q. 2. If fruit growing is profitable why 
do not rural people more generally engage 
in it? 

A. The mass of ruralists have been born 
and bred farmers. Their entire attention 
has been given to grain growing, to stock, 
etc. They know no more about fruit grow- 
ing than about manufacturing boots and 
shoes or woolen goods. They have not 
placed themselves in position to learn about 
fruit growing. But where fruit farms have 
been successfully established among far- 
mers they have not been slow to learn that 
fruit growing pays best, and such farmers 
often pick up enough information to begin 
for themselves in growing fruit. 

Q. 3. Is fruit growing more generally 
pursued than formerly ? 

A. Yes, especially small fruit. Twenty 
years ago small fruit growing was scarcely 
pursued as a bus mess, the supply coming 
largely from wild bushes. There is ten 
times as much grown now as ten years 
ago. Each year increases the supply and 
demand. 



33 



VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY. 




Q. 4. Does not the increase of planting 
depress the price of fruit ? 

A. It has not thus far. Since canning 
and evaporating began tlie prices have stif- 
fened, and the gluts in the markets, so fre- 
quent of old, are seldom experienced. The 
more abundant the supply of fruit the more 
people form the habit of eating it. 

Q. 5. Is there not danger of over-produc- 
tion ? 

A. There would be danger were every 
part of the country adapted to fruit culture. 
Considering the fact that but a small part 
of the United States is w^ell adaped to give 
profitable returns, there appears to be but 
little danger of a permanent over-supply. 
Not so niuch danger as there is of an over- 
supply of wheat, for wheat can be grown 
over a much larger extent of country. 

Q. 6. Are people going into fruit culture 
intelligently or blindly ? 

A . There was a time when men rushed 
into it blindly with exaggerated expecta- 
tions, not knowing what to plant or where 
to plant. They were alike ignorant of var- 
ieties, the habits of species, the peculiarities 
of soil necessary and other important ques- 
tions. These men failed disastrously. 
Another class have begun the work, who 
have fitted themselves by experience and 
observation and never in this country have 
we had so intelligent and competent a class 
of fruit growers as to day. 

Q. 7. Which branch of fruit culture Ib 
most profitable ? 

A. It is difficult to state. What is most 
profitable to-day may be the least profitable 
a few years from now, and what is most 
profitable in one locahty may be the least so 
in others. The wise course appears to be 
this : plant not all to strawberries, or to 
pears, or any one thing, but everything that 
your market calls for. The season opens 
with strawberries, then comes raspberries, 
blackberries, currants, gooseberries, apples, 
peaches, pears, plums, quinces. Thus you 
have something to market perpetually, and 
if one crop fails you do not feel it as you 
would if all your time had been spent on 
one specialty. Your market should be your 
guide as to what you should grow. 

Q. 8. Is fruit-growing hard work ? 

A. Physically it is not nearly so hard 
work as farming. Mentally it requii'es 
more effort. 

Q. 9. What soil is best for frtdt culture i 

A. A farm having both sandy loam and 
clay loam would be preferable, as pears, 
plums, apples and some other fruits would 
do best on clay loam, and the small fruits 
best on strong, sandy loam. In all cases 
avoid stiff clay. I would not take such land 
as a gift for fruit culture. 

Q. 10. What would be the chances for 
success of an inexperienced city man, or a 
retired clergyman, at fruit-growing as a 
business ? 

A. His chances vs^ould be small. He 
woujd be likely to have fanciful and exag- 



erated ideas of the profits, and an inade- 
quate conception of the amount of work 
required. He would in other words not be 
practical. But many such men have suc- 
ceeded, and will again. If a man has tJie 
right metal in him there is no such word as 
fail in any enterprise he undertakes. 



The Marlboro Kaspberry. 



Probably no raspberry has ever been intro- 
duced in this country about which so much 
will be said as the Marlboro. Shares of 
this variety were sold in the Spring of 1883, 
all being bound by contract not to sell be- 
fore the Fall of 1884. One of the best indi- 
cations is that most of the shares were 
taken near where the berry originated, and 
where it is best known, and by fruit grow- 
ers for their own planting. The Marlboro 
is a bright red raspberry, large size, firm 
and fair quality — we do not consider it 
equal to the best in quality — a firm ship- 
ping berry is seldom of the best flavor, as 
quality and softness or juiciness often go 
together. The quality is better than 
Brandywine or Reliance. We may think 
better of its quality on further acquaintance. 
It is claimed to be the earliest variety to 
ripen — we have not tested this point. It 
endured the past severe Winter here, the 
canes coming through in fine condition, to 
the tips, without any protections. It is one 
of the most vigorous growers, making 
strong, stocky, reddish canes, with very 
prominent buds. 

We stand ready to expose any weak 
point that may be mentioned against this 
variety, believing the public should be cor- 
rectly informed. We confess that we had 
fears that it was not hardy enough for us, 
and that we watched it anxiously, but 
from its appearance the past Winter and 
Spring we consider it as hardy as the Cuth- 
bert. Red raspberries are becoming more 
profitable each season for market, and a 
valuable early variety is just what is 
needed. Just w^hat position the Marlboro 
will take ultiinately, we cannot state, but 
it promises exceedingly w^ell. We advise all 
to endeavor to see it in fruit so as to be able 
to judge for themselves. 
♦ •» 
Voyag-es of Discovery. 

We advise our readers to move about and 
see the new varieties in fruit this season. 
By this means you can judge of their value 
nearly as well as though you had been to the 
trouble and expense of testing them your- 
selves. We assure you that there is being 
made impro's-ements in many fruits, more 
particularly the small fruits. If any one 
within a day's drive has the James Vick 
strawberry in bearing it will pay you to 
visit it . We sent out this believing it might 
become one of the most popular both for 
market and home use, and the more we see 
of it the stronger our hopes become, but 




THE NEW 



flITE GRAPE 



ITIAGAEA. 



^ This new purely native White Grape is a cross between Concord and Cassady. Hardy; as strong a g^rower as 
wOncord; earlier and far better in quality. Bunches large and uniform; very compact, sometimes shouldered. Enor- 
iiously productive; a four-year old Vine producing 140 clusters, weighing from 8 to 16 ounces each. Selling in various 
iiarkets at 15 to 25 cents per pound, when best California grapes brought ten cents. The most desirable white grape 
iVf produced. THE GRAPE FOR THE MILLION. 



PHELPS 243 TO 2« PEA 



POTTED PLANTS. 



33 



time alone will tell. If it is the most pro- 
fitable market berry you cannot learn the 
fact too soon. The first report from the 
James Vick this season comes from John 
T. Stark, Secretary of the West Tennessee 
Horticultm-al Society, Jackson, Tenn., 
dated May 1st, he says : " I picked my first 
James Vick this morning ; a late frost in- 
jured the berries somewhat ; this one meas- 
ures one and one-fourth inches in length, and 
three and one-eighth inches in circumfer- 
ence, and I think there are fully two hun- 
dred berries on the plant this was picked 
from ; color and shape beautiful. Hope to 
have some nice ones to exhibit at our raeet- 
ing. When you get anything extra good 
please let me know." Get sight of the Al- 
lantic, Mrs Garfield, Prince of Strawberries, 
Daniel Boone, Pipers' Seedling and other 
strawberries. When in fruit look up a plant 
of Hansell, Marlboro, Shaffer's Colossal, 
Montclair, Superb, Souhegan, Tyler and 
other raspberries, also Early Cluster, Wil- 
son Jr. , Stone's Hardy, Wallace, Taylor and 
other blackberries. It will pay you to see 
Fay's Currant, Lee's Prolific and the newer 
grapes, such as Moore's Early, Worden's, 
Pocklington, Prentiss, Duchess, Early Vic- 
tor, Niagara, etc. If a man is breeding 
horses, cattle or sheep, he traveis about to 
see what others are doing in his line. Fruit 
growers will fall behind if they do not do 
likewise. But do not visit other fruit 
growers in a critical mood, or with the con- 
ceit that your methods, your varieties, your 
plantations are superior. If they really are 
superior struggle hard not to show your 
host that you think so. There is no greater 
bore than the man who goes from one fruit 
farm to another without appearing to see 
anything worth seeing. Do not expect too 
much. De not look for paved walks and 
sodded borders in the fields of fruit. Ex- 
pect to discover plots apparently abandoned 
to weeds. Every propagator has such — 
they are the beds wherein his red raspber- 
ries and blackberries are permitted to sucker 
and produce young plants, and no cultiva- 
tor dare enter. Be interested, be pleased, 
learn and be happy and wise. 




Potted Strawberry Plants. 

People often defer planting Strawberries 
in early spring, and desire later to start a 
bed. For such, plants grown in small pots 
are valuable, for they can be transplanted 
with a ball of earth about their roots at 
any time of the year, though if the weather 
is very hot and dry, water must be given 
them at intervals on the start . If planted 



in hot, dry weather, fill tlie hole in which 
the plant is set (with the baU of earth left 
on undisturbed) with water, and so that 
the earth about the roots is thoroughly 
moistened . It is safer to shade the plants 
for a few days in such cases. But in ordi- 
nary moist soil, in cooHsh weather, potted 
plants will require no such attention. 

In getting started with new varieties, 
potted plants are valuable. The drawback 
in planting in quantity is the weight of 
earth attached to the plants which makes 
express charges high. Potted plants are 
usually shipped in light baskets holding 100 
plants or more, each. We planted potted 
Vicks in July, August and September of 
last year, and these plants will bear a 
crop this season, raany having set 100 and 
more berries each, and they will be of large 
size. 

In planting potted plants you gain by 
having to cultivate them for a shorter peri- 
od, and the ground can be occupied with 
other crops early in the year, such as peas, 
or early potatoes, etc . But the extra ex- 
pense of obtaining such plants will pre- 
vent their being planted on a large scale . 
Whatever you do, do not plant strawberries 
late in the fall from ordinary unpotted 
plants ; they will not secure foothold by 
winter, and unless protected skillfully 
would be heaved out by frost and destroyed. 



Bones, Ashes, Etc. 

Three hundred pounds of unleached ashes 
mixed with 100 pounds of ground bones in 
a heap and kept moist would soon reduce 
the bone to a nearly soluble condition for a 
fertilizer. But as a caustic potash is a mucli 
more quickly active decomposing agent than 
the mild potash or carbonate, it would be 
better to add about a bushel of fresh-burned 
lime to the heap. When this slakes by the 
addition of water, it takes the carbonic acid 
from the potash in the ashes and makes it 
caustic, in which condition it will reduce 
the bone to a soluble condition very soon, 
the mixture should then be shoveled over 
and mixed with a fourth of its weight of 
plaster, which will prevent the escape of 
ammonia that will be produced. If the bone 
is raw, such a mixture wiU contain about 
four pounds of nitrogen, fifty pounds of 
phosphate of lime, and ten pounds of pot- 
ash, worth at market price about $4.50 per 
100 pounds, not counting the lime and 
plaster, which will be additional. Ground 
bone can be bought for |25 to |30 a ton.— 
N. Y. Times. 



It is held now that pear blight is not con- 
tagious, but by using a knife on healthy 
trees that has trimmed blighted ones, dis- 
ease is thought to be carried. We desire 
to be careful what we assert regarding this 
business. Some people know all about pear 
blight and yellows, we do not. 



34 



HUDSON RIVER VINEYARDS. 



A Catskill Fruit Orower. 



' ' You have probably had some experience 
in fruit culture," I remarked to an aged 
and communicative GatskiUian-on-the-Hud- 
son. •' Gosh, yes. When I was a boy 
Rochester nurserymen cum out here them- 
selves and sold us trees. I bought fifty ap- 
ple trees, dug big holes and filled em in 
with rich soils and sods. Beats all how 
they growed. Why men w^ould cum to see 
them ar trees loaded down with apples, and 
think I was lyin when I told how few years 
they had been growin. Gosh, yes. And 
then my boys didn't like farming and I sold 
the old place, and the man who bought it 
let them trees take care of themselves. 
Well the grubs got inter em, the moss 
covered em, the branches looked dead like, 
and not an apple grew on em. Gosh, yes. 
And then I ses to that man, you dig out 
them ar dead ti-ees and put in pear and 
plums, then tackle the earth with the hoe 
and cultivator, draw on some dung, white- 
wash em, lime em, train em. Well, he 
done it, and now he beats all of em with 
the biggest Bartlett pears and Lumbard 
plums you ever sot eyes on. > Go&h, yes ; 
and then I used to grow strawberries. 
Beats aU how them things did turn out the 
berries, and big uns, jou bet. You see I 
pulled off the runners and kept em in hills 
like and they did bear like mad, and I sold 
cm all for 12 and 15 cents a quart. Ye see 
the nite boat takes em right to New York 
fresh as a clam, without a bruise or a jolt. 
Gosh, yes. But the boys don't like farmin. 
One of em is porter in the hotel, and one is 
train man on the railroad, and I help a lit- 
tle looking after fruit and pertaters for the 
hotel where my boy works. Farmin pays 
best. Gosh, yes ! But what is an old fel- 
ler to do when his boys don't like farmin, 
says I, and so I sells the farm and cums 
here and totes about like nobody. If them 
ere boys had stuck to the farm and the ap- 
ples and berries, we'd had a heap of money 
now. Gosh, yes. For that new railroad 
(West Shore) has cum along, and you can't 
buy the old farm now for twice the money 
I got." 



A Successful Weed. 



If there is a more persistent weed than 
Mallows (cheese) I do hot want to contend 
with it. When -we took possession of our 
farm the yard w^as in a garden where the 
]^Iallows had seeded for many years. When 
formerly an old row of peach trees stood, 
with currants, burdocks and pigweeds be- 
tween, we planted roses and other orna- 
mentals, after cleaning it out thoroughly. 
The soil was rich and everything thrived. 
The Mallows came up as thick as hair 
on a horse. We fought it with hoe 
and cultivator, and have been fighting 
it for years since, but even now if 



left uncultivated for a few weeks the Mal- 
lows reappear about as thick as ever, fresh 
seed being continually brought to the sur- 
face by cultivation. Where a plant of Mal- 
lows gets a good foothold in rich soil, it will 
cover a plot four feet across with root so 
strongly imbedded that the strongest man 
cannot pull it up. Very small plants go to 
seed, and all should be looked after closely 
in the fall. The roots are exceedingly 
tough, and the hoe and cultivator are often 
turned aside by them. A friend, on mov- 
ing a barn, found a bed of decayed manure 
which he applied to his lawn, covering the 
sacred spot several inches deep. Soon he 
saw his fatal mistake, for mallows appeared 
thick and fast, and despite his efforts took 
possession, and he was never after able to 
conquer them. If our readers can tell how 
to get them out of a grass plot, or how to 
get them out of door yards where they have 
had full sway for half a century, we will 
gladly give the needed space. In enlarging 
fields in the nursery, we have occupied old 
lanes, where Mallows had gained foothold, 
with cherries and pears in nursery rows, 
where the soil received the most thorough 
culture, yet at this season we find the Mal- 
lows as thick in these spots as it is probable 
for them to grow. We are clearing them 
out, but will expect to see their faces again 
next season and the next until doomsday. 

♦ » » ■ 

Hudson Kiver Vineyards. 

I probably passed within sight of nearly 
one hundred vineyards. Their important 
features, and the ideas suggested are as 
follows : 

1. The importance of elevation. The 
higher the better. Here early and late 
frosts seldom do injury and the grapes be- 
come thoroughly ripe, a condition most de- 
voutly to be sought. As Mr. Downing said 
when we called : ' ' Don't send me any im- 
perfectly ripened grapes to test, as they 
give no satisfaction." 

3. Plant only on dry soil. There is 
much elevated land on the Hudson that 
slants so the water cannot run off. No 
vines will ever be planted here. .The grape 
courts dry soil, dry seasons and warm dry 
countries, with an abundance of sunshine. 

3. Thorough cultivation. The soil is 
kept loose and free from weeds by frequent 
cultivation with horse and hoe. Grass and 
weeds not only steal plant food and moist- 
ure ; they shade the soil from the sun's rays 
and prevent early ripening of the fruit. The 
Acme is a good tool with which to work 
among vines. 

4. Thinning the fruit. Overbearing 
causes the grapes to ripen very late if at all, 
and does permanent injury to the vines. 
How much each vine should bear depends 
on the vigor of the variety, its age and con- 
dition. The vines are not permitted to bear 
half what they would bear if undisturbed. 
By this thinning larger bunches are secured 



MANURING TEEES. 



35 



and better prices in market, and often as 
many pounds as though twice as many 
bimches were left on. 

5. Pruning close so as to avoid too many 
bunches settmg, and keep the vines within 
bounds, and attentive tieing to the wires. 
I never saw a successful vineyard when the 
vines'were straggling away from the wires. 

6. Fertility of soil. The mountain sides, 
after ages of washings of rains cannot be 
expected to be very rich. Here applica- 
tions of manure give immediate results, 
and I find grape growers making every ef- 
fort to increase the supply from the pig 
pens and stables. 

7. The choice of varieties. Even on the 
Hudson river the old Concord is the most 
reliable. Though other varieties pay the 
best profits, many of them are expected oc- 
casionally to fail for one reason or another. 
It is safe to say that tlie Concord can be 
grown at half the expense of most of the 
other varieties, but many of the promising 
new varieties are not yet fully tested here. 

8. Careful assorting and attractive pack- 
ing for market, in packages with handles 
so that purchasers can carry them after 
purchasing, and so small as not to become 
wearisome to the purchaser. A dealer will 
sell many more fruits put up in five or ten 
pound baskets, than if offered in larger 
packages from which they must be un- 
packed and pawed over, many berries drop- 
ing off, and all made much less attractive. 
Not only grapes, but plums, peaches and 
rare apples and pears can profitably be 
marketed in this manner. 



Manuring- Fruit Trees. 



It is singular how long some fallacies 
retain their hold, even after they have been 
disproved by facts, and of these, one of the 
most mischievous is the behef that fruit 
trees and bushes are liable to injury rather 
than benefit from the apphcation of manure. 
AH sorts of disease, such as canker and 
other ailments to which fruit trees are 
liable, are set down as the result of applying 
manure to the roots ; whereas, in nine 
cases out of ten, it arises from poverty of 
the soil, causing the roots to run down into 
the bad subsoil. I am continually heai'ing 
complaints from owners of fruit trees as to 
their unsatisfactory condition, and on ex- 
amination have iiwariably found scarcely 
any surface roots or fibres of any kind, 
nothing but large, thong-like roots, that 
run right down into the subsoil. On inquiry 
I have usually found that manuring or top- 
dressing had not been practiced for many 
years, their owners having come to the con- 
clusion that such practices were dangerous. 

I do not say that manure will prove to be 
a cure for fruit-tree ailments of all kinds, 
but I will briefly detail a few facts tliat 
have come under my observation at various 
times, to prove that starvation of the roots 



is a far more prolific source of injurv than 
abundant feeding of the surface roots, both 
with solid and liquid manures, and growers 
must form their own conclusions as to the 
best course to pursue. The fruitful or un- 
fruitful state of orchard trees in nine cases 
out of ten, is entirely dependent on the at- 
tention which they receive as regards ma- 
nuring. 

In the fruit growing parts of Kent, where 
large orchards of standard trees planted on 
grass land is the rule, it is a well-established 
fact that if the grass is cut for hay and 
carried away, the trees soon become un- 
fruitful and die out ; while, on the con- 
trary, if the grass is fed off, so that the 
nutriment is returned to the roots in the 
shape of manure, the trees keep fruitful 
and healthy. I have seen some of the 
most moss-grown, miserable specimens of 
starved orchard trees restored to fruitful 
condition by making the ground beneath 
them the winter quarters of sheep and 
pigs, feeding them at the same time as if 
they were in the farmyard with roots and 
corn. 

The finest old specimens of apple and 
pear trees are generally those in an orchard 
next to the homestead that is used as a run 
for calves, sheep, pigs and poultry the 
whole year around. In these orchards the 
turf is short, and being full of nutriment 
the trees keep healthy and prolific for an 
indefinite period. Ashes, garden refuse, or 
any kind of road scrapings, or even scaven- 
gers' rubbish may be utilized for increasing 
our supply of orchard fruits. They should 
be spread roughly on the surface in winter, 
and in spring harrowed and rolled down 
firmly. The result will soon be a marked 
improvement in the size and quality of the 
crop. Difference of opinion prevails as to 
the pruning or non-prunirg trees, some 
adopting one system and some another; 
but, be that as it may, I never knew fruit 
trees continue to yield good crops for any 
length of time unless the roots were sup- 
plied with manure in some form or other. — 
London Garden. 



Cultivating Strawberries. — A writer 
in Vick's Magazine says that in raising 
strawberries for market, the rows should 
be at least twenty-five rods long, so that 
horse-power may be used in destroying 
every weed as soon as it sprouts, and the 
surface of the soil kept constantly clean 
and mellow. No ridges or furrows are to 
be formed between the rows. 

Old Raspberry Canes.— Mr. Hale rec- 
ommends leaving the old canes which are 
past bearing, till the following Spring, to 
protect the new vines from wind and snow. 
Sometimes the snow thus accumulating has 
shielded the canes, and a better crop has 
been the result. Mr. R. Johnson, in his 
"Farm Notes " makes the same recommen- 
dation. 



36 



QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 



A Querist in a Fruit Garden. 

How can I best fill out vacancies in rasp-. 
berry and strawberry rows caused by plants 
dying from effects of drouth ? 

With strawberries permit the plants that 
survive to make new plants, and take up 
the new plants with a mass of earth about 
the roots in September, and plant where 
vacancies occur. Or, better, train the run- 
ners into quart baskets or small pots, and 
transplant from these when well rooted. 
With black raspberries, layer the young 
canes as soon as long enough, and trans- 
plant these young plants next Spring where 
vacancies occur, after the tips of young 
plants have grown an inch or two, leaving 
earth about the roots. With red raspberries 
fill vacancies now with green sucker plants 
that have sprung up about oid plants on 
your place. Do not order green plants as 
they will not often endure shipment. Re- 
move the leaves on planting. 

Is it necessary to remove blossoms from 
newly set strawberries ? 

If set early, and the weather continues 
moist, the plants may come through in good 
condition, bearing fruit the first season. 
But if a drouth occurs after planting, the 
plants might perish from the drain upon 
their vitality in attempting to produce fruit 
before becoming established. I have known 
plantations to be saved in such cases by re- 
moving every blossom and green berry. 

What is the best plan for carrying plants 
through a drouth ? 

I never water them. As ordinarily done, 
watering is detrimental. I mulch each 
plant with muck or sawdust, or in the field 
with loose fine earth. Even where the soil 
in the row has become hard this mulch of 
fine earth often saves the plants through a 
long drouth, if the spaces between the rows 
are cultivated frequently. 

When is the b^st time to head black rasp- 
berries and blackberries ? 

If you wish to grow without stakes (the 
approved method) pinch off the tips of 
young canes as soon as they get about two 
feet high. If you wait until the canes are 
four or five feet high and then cut off a foot 
or more, you check growth and lose some 
of the best buds. I cut back the bearing 
canes of red raspberries, and shortening in 
side branches early in the Spring, securing 
more and better fruit than if the entire 
canes were left on and giving bettor oppor- 
tunity for the pickers to move about with- 
out breaking off the ripe berries. 

Is Summer pruning of the grape advis- 
able? 

Grape growers thin grapes by pulling off 
surplus buds and shoots and shortening-in 
canes, allowing but three or four bunches 
to each cane, when the trellis is Tvell 
covered. If left to itself the grapevine sets 
twice as many clusters as it can bring to 
perfection. If a large part of the clusters 
are removed early, those remaining will be 



much larger, will ripen earlier and be of 
better quality and the vitality of the vine 
be perpetuated. 

How long is it profitable to allow straw- 
berries, raspberries, etc., to grow on the 
same soil without renewing ? 

Some varieties run out much sooner than 
others. Ordinaiily three years with straw- 
berries, five with blackberries and currants 
is the extent, though many are profitable 
much longer, and strawberries might con- 
tinue an existence for a lifetime. The bet- 
ter the culture, and the richer and better 
drained the soil, the longer the plant en- 
dures. Where land is very high-priced 
strawberries are only allowed to remain 
long enough to produce one crop. Where 
land is cheaper there is no limit to the in- 
genuity that may be applied to keeping the 
the beds renewed and productive year after 
year, keeping in view the fact that the 
young plants possess the most vigor. 

Are large fruits as profitable as small 
fruits ? 

As a rule they are not. Our small fruits 
seldom fail to give a crop, while the pears, 
apples, peaches and plums often have their 
barren years. But the trees require less 
attention than plants and vines, and we do 
not feel the loss of a crop so seriously from 
them. While engaged in the business one 
should desire to grow the large fruits as 
well as the small. 

Does fancy fruit growing pay ? 

No. If growing fruit as a business you 
must learn the cheapest method of produc- 
ing it. It pays to fertilize well, to give 
good culture, to offer in attractive style in 
market, and to raise the best varieties, but 
there is a limit to high culture, and to every- 
thihg connected with the business. Every 
man must be his own judge as to ■when he 
has reached this limit. Some men can 
grow fruit at half the cost of others. Some 
men can manufacture shoes for less than 
others. Good common sense caiTies a man 
a long way toward success in this country. 
— [Charles A. Green in N. Y. Tribune. 

A French method for converting cider 
into vinegar is as follows : Scald three bar- 
rels or casks with hot water, rinse thor- 
oughly and empty. Then scald with vin- 
egar, rolling the barrels and allowing them 
to stand on their sides two or three days. 
until they become thorougly saturated with 
vinegar. The barrels are then filled about 
one-third with strong pure cider vinegar 
and two gallons of cider acid added. Every 
eight days thereafter two gallons of 
cider are added until the barrels are two- 
thirds full. The whole is allowed to stand 
fourteen days longer, when it will be found 
to be good vinegar, and one-half of it mav 
be drawn and the process of filling up with 
cider began again. In summer the barrels 
are allowed to stand in the sun, and in cold 
weather kept where the temperature is 80 
degrees. 



SLEEPY HOLLOW ROMANCE. 



37 







17^ 




A Sleepy Hollow Romance, Illus- 
trated. 



Timothy Baldwin visits the metropolis to 
m.ake arrangements with his commission 
house to sell the fruit from his great farm 
at Sleepy Hollow, in Western New York . 
He takes his pretty daughter along to show 
her the sights . Now Timothy is rich. The 
grapes from the hillsides, the berries from 
the valleys, the red-cheeked apples, the 
golden pears, the delicious peaches had 
year by year added to his bank account, 
untU he need have no fear of keeping the 
wolf from his door. His daughter, Betsy, 
had been given the best advantages, and 
"had recently graduated with honors. He 



was proud of her, yet not pleased with the 
admirmg glances bestowed upon her by his 
fellow passengers, several of whom found 
no favor though they attempted to enter 
into conversation with Timothy, appearing 
deeply interested in fruit culture and other 
rural affairs. The journey progressed as all 
journeys do. The newsagent dumped Bob 
Ingersoll's and the Bad Boy's book into 
their laps, the cough lozenges, and prize 
candies. The brakeman ertered anon to 
bawl out the unintelligible names of sta- 
tions, the conductor moved to and fro like 
a brigadier. By the way where are the 
peanuts that used to be offered so freely on 
the cars in days of old ? They are banished 
and the mild-flavored and less dyspeptic 
oranges, figs and banana are substituted. 



38 



USEFUL ITEMS. 



From Albany Timothy took the day-boat 
desiring to enjoy again the beautiful Hud- 
son river scenery, and to point out its at- 
tractions to Betsy . A band of musicians 
was aboard, the deck was well-filled with 
pleasure seekers, the grand old hills loomed 
up sublimely, and Timothy and Betsy were 
liappy. They stopped at the Astor House 
in JNew York, and will never forget the del- 
icacies for which the place is famous. Af- 
ter attending to business and showing 
Betsy Brooklyn Bridge, Prospect and Cen- 
tral Parks, the sights on Broadway, the art 
galleries, and the museums, our friends 
got aboard the cars at the Grand Central 
depot for home, Betsy taking the seat next 
the window, tlu-ough the frame of wjiich 
her sweet face beamed bewitchingly. At 
this point a foppishly dressed young man 
appears, and is at once smitten by Betsy. 
He attempts to attract her attention by 
strutting up and down the platform. 
Timothy meanwhile is figuring up his pro- 
spective profits from fruit. Last year he 
sold his red raspberries for $4,000, his straw- 
berries for $2,000, his black caps and black- 
berries for $3,000 more. He explains to Betsy 
that he figures the sum higher this year 
than ever before, when she exclaims : 
" Father do see this funny little man." 
Now Timothy is mild mannered generally 
but when he saw this foppish nincompoop 
smirking and flirting he was as mad as 
though he had recently sat down on a red 
hot hornets nest. He said nothing, but un- 
observed by the fop, watched his antics. 
Suddenly Timothy darts out of the rear end 
of the train. There lies the two wheeled 
truck used for moving baggage . He sees 
the dandy strutting in the opposite direc- 
tion near the window where Betsy sits, un- 
conscious of impending disaster. Suddenly 
Timothy remembers that his trunks are not 
yet aboard, for he dashes towards the young 
inan in fine attire with the speed of a fast 
mail train, and the catastrophe depicted in 
our last illustration transpires. Berries 
stiil flourish in Sleepy Hollow, where Tim- 
othy lives, and the gossips tell of Betsy's 
approaching wedding. She is to marry one 
of the foremost farmers. Probably some 
of her purchases on Broadway will be worn 
on her wedding day. Illustrations from 
Rural New-Yorker — romance by our editor. 



A plan for a cold fruit house is given 
elsewhere in this issue. It would seem to 
be unnecessary to go to such great ex- 
pense. Such houses are now built with 
silnply room between outside and inside 
sheathing, to admit of one foot of space 
for sawdust— the theory being to confine 
cold air. It is remarkable that any section 
of country where fruits are grown should 
be without some such building for storing 
fruit in its fresh state. Simply an ordinary 
ice house is a safe place to keep a few crates 
of berries or other fruits. 



A neighbor sowed oats among his cur- 
rants, and the currant worm, previously 
destmctive, did not appear. Where they 
are troublesome give them powdered helle- 
bore promptly, at first sight, sprinkled on 
when bushes are wet with dew. 

The Science Monthly reports the cause of 
the cathartic energy of pears. Ripe Bart- 
letts are found to contain sharp pointed 
crystals w^hich irritate the walls of the in- 
testines. The Keiffer Pear has this clear 
grit, which will enable it to push its way to 
popularity. 

Drake's Traveler's Magazine says that the 
"nursery trade of Rochester is not sur- 
passed by that of any other place in the 
world. The suburbs are highly cultivated^ 
having 4,000 acres of fruit trees and numer- 
ous nurseries, each of which comprise from 
250 to 500 acres." 

' ' An honest strawbeiTy box is the noblest 
work of man." This cruel thrust at the 
man who invented the box with the bottom 
half way to the top, will bring tears to the 
eyes of the sympathetic. How much bet- 
ter strawberries taste when there are f ew 
of them, and the price high. And thert 
Barnum says the world likes humbugs. 
Certainly this box looks as innocent as a 
new born babe, at first glance, and liberal 
too in proportions. But so long as imper- 
fection prevails in the human race, just so 
long will complaints be made when it is 
difficult to tell which end of the box holds 
most, the bottom or top. 

Stone wall fences are an abomination. 
They must go with the crooked rail fences, 
as barbed wire becomes better known. It 
is about impossible to climb over a stone 
wall without loosening the stones, thus a 
wall where hunters or children often pass, 
soon tumbles down, and what an elephant 
on your hands it is to repair. Nothing 
looks worse than a broken down stone wall. 
Fasten one barbed wire over your walls 
in place of rails and people will not at- 
tempt to climb it. Barbed wire makes the 
cheapest fence. Winds have no effect on 
it. UniTily cattle and horses respect it. 
If we had it twenty years ago there would 
now be no unruly or jumping stock. 

To Escape Lightning.— Carry as little 
metal as possible about your person. When 
the storm approaches shelter yourself in 
the nearest brick or stone building. If 
none be near you, stand still or lie down 
on your face, regardless of the rain, w^hich 
is really a protection. Avoid the shelter of 
trees and doorways, also out-houses, such 
as barns or stables, "wdiether of stone or 
wood, especially of the latter. I consider 
that open, low, dry, stony ground is safer 
than high, wet and grassy ground, and that 
leeward sites are safer than windward ones. 
On seeking shelter laborers should leave 
their tools behind, as the metal is apt to 
attract the electric fluid. 




THIS INTRODUCES OUR PORTFOLIO, 



40 



THE PEACH. 



Planting the Apple Tree. 

Come, let us plant the apple-tree ! 

Cleave the tough greensward with the spade ; 

Wide let it hollow bed be made, 

There gently lay the roots, and there 

Sift the dark mould with kindly care. 

And press it o'er them tenderly ; 
As, round the sleeping infant's feet. 
We softly fold the cradle-sheet, 

So plant we the apple-tree. 

What plant we m the appie-tree .' 

Buds, which the breath of summer days 

Shall lengthen into leafy sprays; 

Boughs, which the thrush with crimson breast. 

Shall haunt, and sing, and hide her nest. 

We plant upon the sunny lea 
A shadow for the noontide hour, 
A shelter from the summer shower. 

When we plant the apple-tree. 

What plant we in the apple tree ? 
Sweets for a hundred flowery springs. 
To load the May wind's restless w^ings ; 
When from the orchard-row, he pours 
Its fragrance through our open doors, 

A world of blossoms for the bee — 
Flowers for the sick girl's silent room. 
For the glad infant sprigs of bloom. 

We plant with the apple-tree. 

What plant we with the apple-tree ? 
Fruits that shall swell in sunny June. 
And redden in the August noon, 
And drop as gentle airs came by 
That fan the blue September sky; 

While children, wild with noisy glee. 
Shall scent their fragrance as they pass, 
And search for them the tufted grass 

At the foot of the apple-tree. — Bryant. 



PKIMEK OF HORTICULTURE. 



PREPARED BY CHARLES W. GARFIELD. 



The Peach. 



The peach is one of the most delicious fruits grown 
in a temperate climate, and whenever it succeeds its 
cultivation yields a larger net return than perhaps any 
other fruit — every succeeding year affords evidence 
that it may be successfully grown in many localities 
where heretofore it was supposed such an undertaking 
would result in failure. 

Being a native of a warmer climate than ours, it is 
often injured by the intense cold of Winter. It is 
therefore advisable to fortify the tree in every possible 
way against the rigors of our northern climate. This 
precaution is the first step toward success, and in many 
localities is imperative. 

Several factors will enter into the account in secur- 
ing this result. First — the site for the orchard should 
be elevated above the lands adjacent, and the surface 
should incline considerably in order to secure perfect 
drainage for excess of water and cold air. The cold 
air being heavier than warm air will run off, if the 
surface is descending, and will occupy the lowest level 
the same as water ; for this reason, among others 
peaches will not succeed on low ground, nor even on 
high land if the surface is a dead level for some dis- 
tance around. 

For the same reasons, all depressions having no out- 
let should be avoided. Neither will a peach orchard 
succeed on heavy clay soil when the subsoil retains an 
excess of water, unless very thoroughly underdrained 
and the subsoil broken up. If it becomes again appar- 
ently compact, the roots will be enabled to penetrate 
such soil far more readily than they could before it 
was broken up. 

It is known that the roots of the peach tree have less 
power to penetrate the hard earth than those of many 
other fruit trees, and require a loose, friable soil and 
subsoil. Such a condition of the soil allows the water 
to pass off readily and admits light and heat, both im- 
portant agents in vegetable growth. 



The best soil for the peach is a deep, strong, gravelly 
loam or a heavy loam with a porous subsoil. Sandy 
land is preferable to heavy clays, and with the use of 
fertilizers will produce fruit of excellent quality and in 
reasonable abundance. 

As an incentive to a thorough preparation of the 
earth before planting out the orchard and of the most 
prompt and thorough cultivation afterward, we may 
say that an acre of land adapted to and thoroughly 
prepared for growing peaches, will produce a net in- 
come equal to three or four acres devoted to farm crops, 
and on sandy land the peach orchard will show a still 
larger balance in its favor. 

Farmers too often seem satisfied with shallow culti- 
vation, and their crops usually correspond with the 
labor and skill used in conducting their farm opera- 
tions. Now, while the ordinary returns from farming 
may not warrant the expense of fertilizing, under- 
draining, and subsoiling, to the extent I have indicated, 
the case is far different in laying a sure foundation for 
a profitable peach orchard. 

The usual depth of plowing is six inches— the sub- 
soil below that distance is of little benefit to growing 
crops unless the roots can penetrate through it. If the 
bed of mellow earth can be made one foot deep in- 
stead of six inches, che productive capacity of the or- 
chard will be increased in the same ratio. 

The benefits secured by a thorough breaking up of 
the soil to a proper depth may be stated as follows : 
Air, light and heat, indispensible agents in growing 
fruit and all farm crops, are more freely admitted to 
the whole depth of soil to work out these wonderful 
changes which produce such abundant and beautiful 
crops of fruit and grain . The air brings with it ele- 
ments of fertility, heat from the sun's rays and is laden 
with moisture. It yields up a portion of its heat as it 
penetrates the cool earth ; this cooling process lessens 
its capacity to hold moisture and a portion of this is 
also given up to the earth. This will explain why a 
deep, mellow soil will carry a crop of fruit through a 
severe drought so much better than a shallow one. A 
deep, mellow bed of earth will also retain a greater 
amount of rain water without displacing other agen- 
cies required to carry on vegetable growth. 

During very dry weather the fruits growing on the 
shallow soils are pinched and shriveled and often be- 
come entirely worthless, while a deep soil yields up the 
moisture it has held in store to the multitude of roots 
which fill the ground. The fruit swells, and grows in 
size and beauty, and gladdens the heart of the owner 
in the prospect of an abundant harvest. While the 
one must offer a small measure of lean, inferior fruit, 
the other is blessed with an abundant yield of beauti- 
ful fruit which is in demand at the highest prices. 

It is very true that in many sections the growing of 
peaches has proved a very profitable business, where 
the orchards have been set out on land prepared as for 
ordinary farm crops, and the orchard has received 
only the most primitive cultivation ; but there is no 
doubt that these same orchards would have nearly 
doubled their yield of fruit had they received generous 
care and cultivation. 

In selecting a location for an orchard it is well to 
keep in mind that the nearer the soil meets these re- 
quirements in its natural state the less expense will be 
required in its preparation. 

The cost of drawing a large crop of peaches to mar- 
ket is an important item. If near a good market or 
shipping point, the fruit can be more expeditiously 
handled and disposed of at just the right time and in 
the best possible condition, which means your net pro- 
ceeds will be fifty to one hundred per cent, more than 
if the fruit were carted a long distance and reached its 
destination twenty-four hours late. 

Peaches, being perishable and delicate fruit, it is 
important that they be handled with the greatest care 
and reach a market in the least possible time, in order 
to bring the best price. 

It is difficult for a beginner to select suitable varie- 
ties from the long list of names found in the nursery- 
man's catalogue. Many varieties adapted for home 
use or for the amateur, would be unfit to grow for mar- 
ket purposes. Some varieties are very tender 
and perishable ; others ripen during the hottest 
part of Summer, and are liable to rot on the tree or 
decay in transportation. At this season a warm rain 
of one or more days' duration will often cause a loss 
of the entire crop, unless one is favored with a home 
market, or with facilities for drying the fruit. 

Peaches ripening so early in the season are not the 
best for drying, nor for canning. 



PEAES AND PLUMS. 



41 



Select varieties for planting an orchard that will 
bear abundant annual crops of fruit ; that will endure 
transportation ; that are of good size and of handsome 
appearance (a great deal depends on pleasing the eye). 

Varieties should be planted to ripen in succession, so 
as to give more time for gathering and marketing. A 
good proportion of the fruit should, for many reasons, 
ripen during the latter part of the season. 

Remember and plant only a few sorts, and those of 
the best. Set every kind by itself, for when you come 
to harvest the peaches it will be much more conven- 
ient. 

Trim the trees to a whip on planting. Keep the soil 
in some cultivated crop continually. J. D. Husted. 

THE RAISING OF PEARS. 

I am asked to tell how I raise pears. Well, it is not 
a difficult matter. Simply go at it with good common 
sense and careful watching of your trees and most any 
one can grow them. As to location of the orchard, if 
I could have just what I wanted, it should be on a 
gentle slope toward the south, and the soil a gravelly 
loam on clay sub-soil or, next best, an entirely clay 
' soil. If the latter, or if the clay in the first case was 
near the surface, it would probably be necessary to 
under-drain the land. I consider a southern slope, 
where the trees get the full sun, better than a north- 
ern exposure, and I would as soon have it exposed to 
winds as sheltered. My preparation for planting 
would be to gro.v corn well manured, on the ground 
the previous year and in the Spring just before setting 
out the orchard, plow the land well. Then where I 
wanted the trees to stand, which I would have not 
more than one rod apart each way, I would dig holes 
three feet across and eighteen inches deep and loosen 
up the sub-soil for another spade's depth, scatter about 
one quart of salt over this loosened sub-soil in each 
hole and then fill in six inches of good, top earth, leav- 
ing the hole about one foot deep. Here I' would set 
the trees, carefully preserving and laying out every 
fibrous root and packing the earth well around the 
roots 

As to selection of the trees : They should be two 
years old from the graft, and both tops and roots (es- 
pecialy the latter) well grown and first-class in every 
particular. In buying trees from a dealer or agent I 
make them strike out that clause about furnishing 
other varieties equally good if they happen to be out 
of what I order. After setting the trees I leave the 
surface close around the tree a little dishing or hol- 
lowed the first year, so as to enable it to get all the 
moisture it needs. I never mulch but very little, while 
I hoe about the trees so as to keep the surface mellow. 

My after cultivation is to grow some hoed crop 
among the trees for five years, cultivating the ground 
well, but not manuring too heavily. I think the ground 
can be too rich for the pear. 

The selection of varieties for my orchard , whether 
for my own use or for market, would be Bartlett, for 
early ; Seckel and Sheldon, Autumn • and Duchess d' 
Angouleme, late Autumn. The last I regard as one 
of the best. For sake of variety I also have Ononda- 
ga, Lawrence, Buerre d'Anjou, Louise Bonne de 
Jersey, and others. 

My practice in ripening and marketing is to pick 
when matured, though still green in color and some- 
what hard (when they pick easily by lifting them up, 
is the test). Put in barrels in the dark, when they will 
" sweat," and the pears as well as the barrel inside will 
be covered with drops of water. Afterwards they 
will turn yellow, and are then ready to sell or can. If 
I shipped away, of course 1 would have to send them 
green Doney. 

Ox'cliard. Culture of Plums. 

There are three serious obstacles in the way of plum 
g''owing, viz : Premature shedding of leaf, curculio 
and rot. 

While inferior crops of apples or peaches may be 
grown on land seeded to grass or grain, plums are gen- 
erally a total failure, under such treatment. With such 
usage they frequently shed their leaves in midsummer, 
when all growth of tree and fruit ceases. Thorough 
cultivation until the crop is nearly matured is the best 
known remedy for this evil. 

When successful, the plum bears immense crops, for 
which reason annual manuring is absolutely necessary 
to supily the ingredients taken away -with the crops. 
A failure in this respect generally means a failure of 
crop. 



The attempt to raise plums without heavy manuring 
and thorough cultivation is useless. One or two crops 
may be obtained, after which the trees usually make a 
feeble growth, and perish during the first hard Winter. 
If the curculio withheld his friendly aid, this inclina- 
tion to overbear would sweep the larger portion of 
plum orchards out of existence ; and while we grate- 
fully acknowledge the kindness of the " Little Turk " 
in assisting us to prolong the lives of oui plum or- 
chards, we regret that he is seriously inclined to over- 
do the thing — "take the lion's share," and compel us 
to " declare war," and act upon the defensive ; that 
mode of warfare known as the "jarring process," 
which consists in jarring down the insects upon a cloth 
spread out for that purpose, will lead to certain victory 
if diligently prosecuted. The cost of such warfare 
need not exceed ten cents per tree. Promptness in ac- 
tion is essential to success ; a few days' delay and the 
crop might be lost. The time to commence operations 
is easily determined by examining the plums daily, as 
soon as they burst the remains of the calyx enclosing 
them; if the "crescent sign" is to be found on the 
fruit, commence operations, although some plum 
growers allow the insect to puncture one-half the crop 
before beginning, as they believe it to be a cheaper 
method of thinning than by hand. All fruit falling on 
account of being punctured by the curculio, should be 
picked up at least once per week, and destroyed I 
think the young curculio usually remains in the plutu 
about ten days after it falls. To jar small trees a nail 
may be driven in the tree, which I believe does no in- 
jury ; or a limb may be sawed off an inch or so from 
the'trunk, and struck with a hammer. When the tijees 
become large I have found a crotched stick, five or six 
feet long, about as heavy as a common handspike, 
with the crotch wound with a cloth to prevent bruising 
the most convenient to jar the trees. The tree should 
be approached as quietly as possible, and let the jar be 
sudden. Shaking the tree will not answer. Some- 
times in the middle of the day, especially if it be v/arm 
the curculio will fly off the sheet before they can be 
caught ; sprinkling the sheet with water will prevent 
that. I believe if each tree be shaken every hour in 
the day while they are at work, all, or nearly all will 
be caught, although they might come from adjacent 
orchards afterwards and destroy the crop. The idea 
that early morning is the only time they can be suc- 
cessfully caught is a fallacy. I have known heavy 
crops secured, where curculio swa. med by the thous- 
ands, while the jarring was only com., aued one or two 
days. Each tree was jarred repeatedly during the day 
and the jarring was continued until none could be 
caught. 

If from any cause they should be allowed to puncture 
the entire crop, don't conclude that the crop is lost, 
for if chilly weather follows immediately after they 
have done their work, very few if any, will hatch, and 
no harm is done, as the small wound they make soon 
heals up. I have known them deposit their eggs sev- 
eral times before any hatched . 

For rot I know of no certain remedy. Hundreds, 
yea thousands of bushels of plums have rotted in 
northern Michigan in the last few years. The idea 
that they rot only where they hang on the tree so as to 
touch each other is incorrect ; I have known them 
thinned so that they did not come in contact, yet they 
all rotted ; picking the fruit as soon as the rot appears 
on it does not appear to do any good. 

Last October I read an article in the New York JFzV- 
ness, I am sorry I have it not at hand, which stated 
that if the fruit was picked carefully as soon as it com- 
menced to rot and then placed in a pail of water to 
prevent the spores of the decayed fruit from rising and 
lighting on the fruit remaining upon the tree, carried 
away and burned or deeply buried in the ground, tree 
and fruit be liberally sprinkled with lime, that it would 
prove a certain remedy for rot. It also stated that the 
spores contained in the decayed fruit, if left under the 
tree, would cause the fruit to rot the next season. I 
have noticed that when the fruit rotted once on a tree 
it continued to rot year after year. If the above 
should prove to be a certain remedy for rot, then I 
know no reason why plum growing may not be made a 
success ; if not, then the rot is a serious obstacle, al- 
though I have never known it to appear until after 
several crops were raised. 

Plums succeed in any soil where apples or peaches 
would, although heavy soils are preferable. Almost 
all the varieties of plums succeed on the peach stock, 
the pnly exceptions I know of being the Lombard and 



42 



GRAPE AND QUINCE. 



tne Canada Egg ; the former grows well on the peach, 
but fails to unite properly, and is therefore liable to 
blow off, and the latter seldom grows a', all. There 
are thousands of plum trees in this vicinity on peach 
stocks which have oeen set ten or fifteen years, and 
have done equally as well if not better, than those on 
plum stocks. For light soils I certainly prefer the 
plum on peach, if not for all soils. 

Fifteen feet apart each way i s the proper distance 
for the trees to be set. 

In reference to varieties the following are excellent 
and perhaps as good as any : Bradshaw,Prince Engle- 
bert. Purple Egg, Pond's seedling, Lombard and Coe's 
Golden Drop. The above are named in their order 
of ripening. The first four are large, beautiful plums 
commanding the highest price in market. The Lom- 
bard is vigorous and exceedingly productive, but fails 
in some localities ; it bears very young. Coe's Golden 
Drop bears immense crops every other year. The 
F^irple Egg is the most vigorous growing tree with 
which I am acquainted, carrying its foliage through 
seasons when all others have failed ; it is exceedingly 
hardy. The Bradshaw is slightly tender. With my 
present knowledge of plums I think one would not go 
far astray by setting an equal number of the above 
varieties, although I may think very differently in the 
future. G- C. McCatchie. 

A GRAPE grower's ADVICE 

In abridged form for these pages and the counsel is 
certainly clearly defined and practical. Here it is : 

There is nothing subtile or mysterious in planting 
grape roots or young trees of any kind, any more than 
there is in planting potatoes or cabbage. 

1. The ground should be prepared one year in ad- 
vance by raising on it a crop of corn or potatoes, or by 
Summer fallow ; but were 1 prepared to plant, I would 
ncit defer planting ; plant at any rate, and cultivate as 
you would corn or any other small crop, and you will 
be surprised to see the rapid growth your vines will 
make. 

2. High rolling land, of a gravelly nature, is in my 
opinion best adapted to successful grape culture. The 
grape needs heat and sunshine, the former to ripen 
the fruit, and the latter to prevent mildew. 

3. .Were I to plant a vineyard again I would plant 
the roots ei^ht feet apart each way in perfect rows. 
There are those who advise eight by ten, and ten by 
twelve, but I hold that eight by eight affords room 
enough for all practical purposes. Mark each way 
with a plow and plant at the crossing of the furrows, 
and but an inch or two deeper ; straighten the roots 
out and cover them up with a hoe, leaving the eye even 
with the surface, and the work is done. Corn, potatoes, 
beans or other vegetables may be raised on the same 
ground between the grape plants during the first two 
seasons without any injury to the vines. 

4. As young vines throw up several shoots during 
the first two or three Summers after planting, care 
should be taken to remove them, also to cut off all 
branches but the leading one to a height of sixteen or 
twenty inches. The first year the vines may trail on 
the ground, but the second season they should by all 
means be tied up to a stake. I have no opinion to offer 
respecting the two leading systems of grape culture, 
stake or trellis, as both have warm advocates. The 
stake system appears to be the cheapest in cultivation, 
because the cultivator can work both ways ; while 
under the trellis plan the work can be performed only 
one way. The planter must then choose between the 
two. 

5. Pruning may be done at any time between the fall 
of the leaf and the 20th of March, cutting back to two 
or three eyes on the young timber. 

6. As to varieties, the Concord holds first place on 
the lake shore, and I believe also, in the general mar- 
ket ; and for all purposes it appears to be the most 
profitable grape yet introduced. We have several new 
kinds of a greenish white color that are highly spoken 
of, known as the Prentiss, Pocklington and Niagara. 

Joseph Lanin. 



The Quince. 

The more common mode of propagation is by layers 
or cuttings ; but commercial propagators frequently 
plant stools in very rich soil, cutting them back to very 
near the ground, and encouraging the growth of nu- 
merous shoots the first year. The next year rich earth 
is filled in a few inches deep among and about the 
clump of young shoots, which during the next Sununer 



become well rooted plants, and are, in Autumn or the 
following Spring, cut away from the parent plant, and 
may be at once planted in orchard, or grown a year in 
nursery rows to acquire a larger size. 

This fruit grows naturally in rather moist (not wet) 
soi's : often along streams of water. Although it is 
frequently planted with some success in light soils, it 
will, ^however, be found most satisfactory in a moist, 
strong, clay loam. In such a soil we have found it, 
under good cultivation, with the soil well manured, 
enormously productive. Under neglect and starvation 
the trees soon become stunted and unproductive ; 
when they are very liable to be attacked by the flat 
headed apple tree borer, generally with fatal effect. 

About ten feet apart each way is a sufficient distance 
for the largest trees we have ever seen in this State. 
The tree has a tendency to produce suckers from its 
base. These should be persistently removed and the 
tree grown with a single trunk, from one to one and a 
half feet high, with little pruning, beyond the removal 
of crossing branches. 

The borers are less likely to attack vigorous trees. 
For this reason it is specially important that they be 
not permitted to suffer a check in growth. Even this, 
however, in the case of the quince should not be relied 
on, but in May or early June, and perhaps again later 
in the season, the trunks should be well washed with 
lye or strong soap suds to repel their attacks and des- 
troy the eggs if already deposited. 

As already remarked, the soil should be kept rich ; 
and thorough cultivation should be kept up till about 
the middle of August, when it should cease for the sea- 
son, that the young growth may become well ripened, 
before the advent of severe weather. After the roots 
have taken possession of the soil between the rows, 
cultivation should be shallow, and it will be found pre- 
ferable to plow toward the rows, so that a considerable 
hillock shall be maintained about the tree, thus keeping 
the roots well protected against winter exposure. 

This must depend greatly upon the exposure and the 
nature of the soil. In a bleak situation, or on ground 
liable to standing water, at any season, we would toot 
plant till Spring. If sheltered from the coldest winds 
and with sufficient drainage, early Autumn will be pre- 
ferable, as the roots will be prepared for an earlier 
start in Spring. 

VARIETIES. 

The Apple or Orange Quince is the only variety that 
can yet be recommended for general market planting, 
and is, in fact, the only one offered in our markets. 

Rea's Mammoth is a comparatively new variety ,said 
to be much larger than the preceding and otherwise 
very much like it ; but its value as a market variety is 
yet undetermined. The plant is vigorous and healtiiy. 

Champion is a yet more recent sort, which is said to 
be of larger size than the Apple. Our experience with 
it indicates that it may be later in ripening and little, if 
any, larger. The "plant is less vigorous and a much 
earlier bearer. 

It is not the top but the root of quince trees that is 
tender. Of course, the top wholly or partially dies ac- 
cording to the amount of injury to the root, not to the 
top. We can see this by noting the greater degrees of 
injury in high, dry, cultivated soil, thaft in low, moist 
places, where the ground is covered by snow or where 
a grass turf affords protection to the roots. Under a 
neglectful system, where no proper means are provided 
for covering the roots in winter, this fruit will do bet- 
ter than any other to be left in grass. It is not the 
best management even for the quince, but grass will at 
least prevent that deep freezing of the soil so sure to 
follow where no protection is provided. All over the 
country the most successful quince trees are grown in 
clumps where the trees protect themselves, or in cor- 
ners of fences where annual deposits of falling leaves 
afford protection to the roots. 

Mulching quince trees in Winter and heavy manuring 
in Summer are the chief secrets of success with this 
shy fruit. The top is nearly or quite as hardy as the 
apple, and if the root is properly protected and the soil 
enriched, quinces can be grown in most localities 
where apples succeed. 

Salt has been recommended as a specific manure for 
the quince. It is undoubtedly helpful, but it owes its 
good effect more to its influence in keeping the soil 
moist and preventing its deep freezing, than to any in- 
herent manurial properties. There are undoubtedly 
times when salt is absolutely hurtful to quince Uees, 
applied in large quantities after deep cultivation, which 
has broken, torn, and bruised the tender roots. Of the 



SMALL FRUITS. 



43 



mineral manures, potash, in the form of wood ashes, 
(}. leached or unleached, we have found most beneficial. 
jj- T. T. Lyon. 

Currants and Gooseberries. 

We doubt if there are at the present time any small 
fruits more profitable for the family or market than 
currants or gooseberries, if the right soil and varieties 
are selected for planting. 

The old Red Dutch, White Grape, and Victoria will 
do fairly well on dry soils, although currants and goose- 
berries of all kinds give best returns planted on rich, 
moist soils. It is useless to plant Cherry or La Ver- 
saillaise on light, sandy soil. But from years of ex- 
perience with the above fruits I do not hesitate to say 
if the planter has soil that will produce a full crop of 
corn or wheat, and will plant the following varieties, 
and give good cultivation, he will be pretty sure to 
have a remunerative crop every year : 

For currants, Red Dutch, Victoria,and White Grape ; 
g'ooseberries. Downing and Smith's Improved. The 
old Houghton is too small and dark to sell well in the 
market. The Downing and Smith's are just as pro- 
lific, hardy, and free from mildew. 

The Victoria currant holds its foliage much better 
than any other variety we have ever planted, making 
it very valuable in seasons when other varieties drop 
the foliage before fully ripening the fruit, and in con- 
sequence the fruit becomes sun-scalded. 

The currant may be readily propagated by making 
cuttings, say ten inches long, and planting in the Fall • 
they should be planted down nearly the entire length,' 
and a mulching of coarse manure spread over them to 
prevent heaving, through the winter. Cuttings put in, 
in this manner, will nearly every one grow. 

Gooseberries are best propagated by layers. If the 
young wood is layered in July just after the fruit is 
picked, it will be sufficiently rooted to plant out the 
next Spring. Currants and gooseberries should be 
closely watched for the currant worm, which first ap- 
pears in the middle of the bush. If attended to in 
time it can quite easily be kept off with white helle- 
bore. We use a tin sprinkler made for potato vines. 
Open the bushes, put the sprinkler down in and 
thoroughly dust the middle of the bush. 

Currants and gooseberries like all other fruits should 
be kept well pruned and thinned out. 

J. N. Stearns. 

Raspberries. 

i A rich, deep, well-drained loam, is undoubtedly the 
best soil for the raspberry. It is sooner injured by ex- 
cessive moisture than almost any other cultivated fruit, 
and, in planting, an elevated location should, if possible, 
Always be selected. In planting black caps of strong 
growth like Gregg, the rows should be at least seven 
feet apart, with plants three feet apart in the row. Be- 
tween the rows Irish potatoes may be profitably plant- 
ed the first season. Red varieties of the Antwerp type 
should be planted five feet apart, with plants two feet 
from each other in the row . Fall planting is recom- 
mended by a majority of growers, but my experience 
causes me to believe that the tips of black caps can be 
most successfully transplanted in early Spring. Mellow 
earth should be placed on the plants to allow the young 
shoots to reach the surface without difficulty. If prop- 
erly pruned, the raspberry needs no artificial support. 
Plants of red or black varieties should, when two feet 
high, have the terminal bud nipped for the purpose of 
forcing a lateral growth, and thereby increasing the 
productiveness of the plant. Such shoots generally 
grow in a circle, and balance the plant when weighted 
with fruit. As all shoots do not begin to grow at the 
same time, repeated nippings, during the growing sea- 
son, will be found necessary. Black caps are propaga- 
ted from tips of the branches that should be covered 
with earth early in September to enable them to take 
root. About the end of October they should be taken 
up and " heeled in " on high ground, or allowed to re- 
main where grown until Spring, if not liable to be lifted 
by frost. All varieties that produce suckers may be 
propagated from root-cuttings, treated in precisely the 
same manner as root-cuttings of the blackberry. All 
dead wood should be removed as soon as convenient 
after fruiting terminates. This advice also applies to 
the blackberry, and is prompted by the belief that a 
dead branch largely taxes the vitality of living roots. 
Red raspberries are not as firm as black caps, and on 
that account are almost invariable sent to market in 
quart or pint boxes. The two-bushel stand, containing 
four drawers holding half a bushel each, is generally 



used in shipping black caps. Tyler and Souhegan are 
probably the best extra early black caps now culti- 
vated. Tyler, on account of its superiority to Doolit- 
tle, is rapidly taking the place of that variety in the 
great raspberry plantations of New York ; and Souhe- 
gan, a more recent introduction, is warmly com- 
mended by all who have tested it. Gregg is the best 
very late black cap ever cultivated, and whoever will 
produce a better variety may well be proud of the 
achievement. Of well-tested red varieties. Turner is 
the best extra early sort. It is very productive, of the 
most delicious flavor, and perfectly hardy. Cuthbert 
has no equal as a very late red variety. It is even later 
than Gregg. Very productive, hardy, and a strong 
grower. Fruit large, sweet, and very attractive in 
color. 
Second, 

Blackberries. 

A clay soil, naturally or artificially well drained, is 
most favorable to the blackberry. On such a soil its 
wood will often pass in good condition through frosts 
which would destroy the same variety in low, un- 
drained ground. My observations in my own patches 
last Spring fully satisfied me of this fact. As the soil 
best calculated to produce hardy, well-matured wood 
is often thin, it should be enriched and deeply ploughed 
before planting, to enable young plants to make a 
rapid growth, and produce a crop as soon as possible. 
But for the production of large and luscious fruit, and 
to prevent the injurious effects of drought, annual top 
dressings between plants in the rows, of manure, 
leaves, or straw, should be given in sufficient quantity 
to smother grass and weeds. In planting, the rows 
should be seven and one-half or eight feet apart, 
with plants two feet apart in the row. If properly 
cultivated and pruned such rows at the end of the 
third year from planting should reseimble a well-kept 
hedge and barely allow a horse and plough to pass 
between without touching. I have often substituted 
root cuttings for plants w^hen the latter w^ere scarce, 
and have found them to grow. with much certainty if 
kept in a cellar or buried beyond the reach of frost in 
well-drained ground during the Winter and planted 
early in Sprine. Such root cuttings should each be 
two and one-half or three inches long. A plantation 
from root cuttings would, of course, require one season 
more than thrifty plants to produce a fair crop. The 
blackberry does not produce a paying crop until it has 
been planted two or three years. To econorci:"^ in 
time and labor it has always been my practice, v.- ■''a 
planting blackberries, to plant strawberries in the same 
row with them, and a row of strawberries midway be- 
tween blackberry rows. My strawberries, thus grown, 
have in every way been equal to those grown alone in 
other patches, and have continued to yield good crops 
until finally smothered by blackberry plants. A mixed 
patch of this kind of an acre in extent, planted four 
years, this year produced a fair crop of strawberries, 
and more than an ordinary one of blackberries ; and 
both varieties now give promise of a good crop next 
season. Sufficient cultivation between rows should be 
given to repress w^eeds and grass, but the ground should 
not be stirred after the first of September, as it might 
induce a growth of immature wood unable to with- 
stand severe frosts. All blackberry plants should have 
their terminal buds nipped when three feet high, to 
force them to throw out lateral shoots. The more 
wood the more fruit, and by thus nipping the amount 
of wood is at least trebled ; and as all canes do not 
shoot at the same time, repeated nippings, generally 
two or three, will be found necessary during the grow- 
ing season. A pair of flexible sheep shears is the best 
implement imaginable for such work. Blackberries 
should be allowed to remain on the bushes until sweet 
and ripe, and should not be picked of tener than twice a 
week if intended for a home market. When picked 
the berries should never be exposed to a burning snn, 
as such exposure changes their color from black to red 
and gives them a bitter flavor. Blackberries are best 
shipped in two-bushel stands. For a home market the 
Hallock quart box in a sixteen or twenty-four quart 
crate is perfectly satisfactory. 

I have tested almost every prominent blackberry, 
and have found but three varieties hardy and profit- 
able in central Indiana. They are Snyder, Wallace, 
and Taylor's Prolific. I have cultivated them for sev- 
eral years, and each successive crop has increased my 
good opinion of them. They are all wonderfully pro- 
ductive, vigorous, free from disease, and of the most 
delicious flavor. Snyder ripens first, berry of medium 



44 



BLACKBERRY CULTURE. 



size, of a brilliant black color, and very attractive m 
appearance; Wallace is medium in ripenmg, berries 
large, plants on old roots more vigorous and stately 
than those of any other variety, young plants inclmed 
to droop • Taylor's prolific is as late as Lawton in 
ripening, and is probably the most delicious blackberry 
now cultivated, berries rather above medium size and 
produced in immense clusters, young plants inclined to 
droop, but strong and erect when fairly established. 
The only new sort tested in this region that gives in- 
dications of being as hardy and valuable as the varie- 
ties I have named, is Stone's Hardy, from Wisconsin. 
I fruited one-year-old plants of it this season and was 
much pleased with it, but must give it another trial 
before coming to a conclusion concerning its merits. I 
have tested Early H arvest for three seasons and have 
found it too tender for this latitude. G. Cowing. 

Kaspberries for Market. 

A person starting out in the culture of raspberries 
should select a rather high, rolling piece of land. I 
prefer a stifE clay loam, moderately rich, to any other 
soil, for the reason mainly, that in time of drought it 
holds moisture better than a lighter soil. If the piece 
selected is not well drained, I should before setting a 
plant, have it thoroughly drained. 

After selecting location the next thing is the varieties 
to plant. Of the red I would recommend Turner and 
Cuihbert. The Turner is a moderately early berry, 
very hardy, bright color, and of good flavor. The 
Cuthbert is a little later than the Turner, of larger 
size, hardy, and sells at the highest market price. Of 
the newer varieties, Hansell and Superb are promising 
and very early. . o u j 

Of the black caps I would recommend Sounegan and 
Tyler for very early, and Gregg for late. There is a 
new variety which I have thoroughly tested that is a 
wonder in its way, I refer to Shaffer's Colossal. The 
plants are propagated from the tips and their fruit is 
red, becoming purple when very ripe. I have found it 
the best canning raspberry on my place. 

When plants are received, if not ready to set out at 
once, heel them in the ground. 

Mark off the rows either with a one-horse plow or 
by running a line and digging the holes with a spade. 
The rows should be at least five, nor more than six feet 
apart, and the plants set from two and one-halt to three 
feet in the row. Be careful and not set the black cap 
varieties too deeo, especially on heavy soils. The 
crown of the plant two or three inches below the sur- 
face is about right. 

The red varieties can be set at the same depth as they 
were when taken up. Press the dirt firmly around 
each plant,drawing a little loose dirt around afterwards. 
1 have found Spring by far the best time to set plants ; 
if set in the Fall, mulch with some coarse material and 
mound the dirt over each plant to keep from heaving. 

Now keep the soil well cultivated, the oftener the bet- 
ter, until about the first of August the first year ; after 
that do not cultivate after fruit begins to ripen. For 
working among the rows I use a common spading fork; 
it does not cut the roots, but pulverizes the ground 
well. Hold it in a perpedicular position and work it 
around : do not put under and raise the roots. 

When plants get about two feet high pinch the tips 
off ; this makes them grow branching and less liable to 
be twisted and broken by the wind. 

As soon as possible after the fruit is all picked re- 
move the old canes and a portion of the new ones leav- 
ing the strongest for bearing next year. For remov- 
ing the canes I use a piece of steel about the width of a 
pruning knife blade, curved into a hook and fastened 
into a handle about two or three feet long. This is the 
best instrument for the purpose. Very late in the Fall 
or early in the Spring cut back from one-quarter to 
one-third of the new growth. For this purpose I use 
a pair of steel shears the blades of which are about one 
foot long and about one to one and one-half inches 
wide, fitted into light wooden handles— with this tool a 
man can do a large amount of work. Cut the smaller 
canes further back in proportion to the larger ones. 

In marketing select the man or firm, which upon 
careful inquiry you find most reliable. Then if you 
pack your fruit honestly, which you should make a 
point always to do, and raise choice fruit, which you 
can certainly do if you give it proper care, you will 
reap a good harvest. 

Blackberry Culture. 

For blackberries select a high location Heavy, 
well-drained soil is much preferable to light soil. Use 



the same care in the selection of varieties, setting ot 
plants, thorough cultivation, and pruning as in rasp- 
berries. Rows should be from seven to eight feet 
apart and plants should be set two and one-half to 
three feet in the row. Do not set any tender yarieties. 
Snyder and Taylor's Prolific I have found the hardiest 
I have tested. The Snyder is quite an early variety 
and enormously productive. For that reason the canes 
must be thinned and pruned closely. Taylor's Prohfic 
is later and of very fine quality. 

The Blackberry, it kept in proper shape and well 
cared for, is very profitable— even more so than the 
raspberry. E. H. Scott 

The Strawberry. 

HINTS TO BEGINNERS. 

Strawberry growers are to be considered in three 
classes : i. Those who grow the fruit simply for the 
pleasure and for home use. 2. Those who grow for a 
very near market. 3. Those who grow berries for dis- 
tant shipment . Any advice given to a beginner should 
be based upon a knowledge of these facts, and of the 
soil to be used. 

Pretty fair crops of strawberries can be grown upon 
almost every kind of soil which produces common 
farm crops. But on some soils, the berries though 
looking well and tasting well, will not keep well, and 
can not be marketed at a distance. 

I will not undertake to say what soils will develop 
this fault. I have grown berries on a poor, sandy soil 
which would not endure shipment a hundred miles ; 
while on land looking no better, crops have been 
grown possessing great endurance and shipping capa- 
bility. The variety in both cases was the Wilson. I 
cannot say what element was lacking in the one case 
that was present in the other. My impression is that 
good, clay loams will generally produce better berries 
for eating or marketing than sandy or black prairie 
lands. And yet it is probably a fact that more straw- 
berries are grown on sandy soils in the United States 
for market, than on all other kinds of land. It would 
be well always to experiment carefully before planting 
largely for distant shipment. 

Sofar, then, as the soil and the management is con- 
cerned, the first two classes may be considered as one. 
But the grower for market must consider the taste and 
the whims of the market as to varieties. The grower 
for home use will be more particular to have varieties 
good to eat, than those simply big or handsome ; while 
the market grower will soon learn that fine appearances 
count for more than good eating qualities. People 
who buy fruit of any kind or in any market, so far as 
I can learn— I speak of the majority of buyers— pay 
more for beauty than for flavor. Hence, the Monarch 
of the West, a very high flavored berry, which colors 
very poorly, will generally be rejected, while the Wil- 
son or Capt. Jack, both very sour, but coloring well, 
will sell promptly. . . , . , 

It will be best for the beginner to plant those kinds 
known to succeed well in his neighborhood, if he can 
learn this fact, and known to be popular in his market, 
if he grows for sale. Plant two or three varieties 
only if for market, but experiment moderately with 
others. If pistillate varieties are selected they must 
be set in alternate rows or narrow beds, with perfect 
flowering kinds. But different sorts must not be al- 
lowed to run together ; and they should be kept en- 
tirely separate in the picking. , , ^ . 

The grower for a distant market, or where the fruit 
is to be kept a day or two in tne ordinary temperature 
of Summer, is limited by those conditions in his choice 
of kinds. He must have sorts which endure well, and 
which are comparatively firm. The list of these sorts 
is a short one. For this purpose the Wilson stands 
first and the Capt. Jack next, and I can almost say 
last.' I speak of kinds generally introduced. Other 
and larger varieties endure shipment pretty well while 
the weather is quite cool, but very few of them bear 
long transportation in hot weather. 

Now to begifl with the beginner at the beginning of 
a strawberry plantation: First, take good land if you 
can get it ; if not, take poor and enrich it if you can. 
If you are' planting for home use, be sure you plant on 
some kind of land ; if you can't get good, take poor. 
You can and should grow strawberries for your own 
table. If for commercial purposes, it is desirable that 
the conditions should be favorable. Select then the 
best soil you can command— such as would grow good 
potatoes or corn. Plow it well in the Fall; plow it 
well in the Spring ; good common plowing will do. 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



45 



Don't fool away money in trenching or deep subsoilincf 
unless you like to. Plant in the Spring- ; not in the 
Fall ; not in the Summer. In setting plants don't fol- 
low any aristocratic directions. Don t dig a hole, then 
make a mound in the hole, then spread the roots 
equally all around that mound and then sift in the 
earth through a sieve, as some good people say ; I say 
don't do it that way unless you greatly enjoy the fun 
of the thing. That wiU do for a dozen plants, but it 
is too slow for large quantities, and a fast, easy way is 
just as good. 

Vour ground being well prepared, plowed, harrowed 
and rolled — mark oil carefully for rows. Your plants, 
being well trimmed, should be dipped in water and 
placed in a pail . An active boy should take the pail of 
plants and place them deftly in openings which you 
make with a good spade. Thrust the spade in before 
you at an angle of forty-five degrees ; the boy puts 
in the plant while you withdraw the spade and press 
the earth firmly over the roots of the plants witti your 
foot. If not clearly described this is easy to do, and a 
man and boy can set four or five thousand plants in a 
day in good shape. 

Vour field planted, cultivate carefully and thorough- 
ly, but very shallow ne.xt the plants. Do this all Sum- 
mer. Let no weeds grow. Let as many runners grow 
as will make a narrow matted row, cut the balance : 
keep the middles clear all the time. Mulch in the Fall 
heavily between the rows, lightly over the plants. 
Don't disturb them in the Spring. 

If you pick for market, pick every day ; put no poor 
ones in the boxes. If you eat these berries, you will 
be glad you planted them ; if you sell them, I hope you 
will get well paid for it. Parker Earle. 

THE A, B, C, OF STRAWBERRY CULTURE, 

The illustrious Beecher recently said that the world 
progresses more by learning wdat cannot be done than 
by putting in practice any brilliantly conceived idea. 
Therefore in giving these bits of experience I do so 
with the hope of enabling others to avoid ihe errors 
that I made myself, for I began with A at an early age, 
and if years of practice are to count I am now pretty 
well along in the alphabet. 

When asking information before I ever handled a 
strawberry plant, I was told to select poor, light, sandy 
soil as the best. I was told that fertilizers impaired 
the quality of the fruit and the plants would grow, and 
could be kept clean only on light land. Greater mis- 
takes were never made, althoueh the strawberry is 
such a good natured plant, it will take hold and make 
the best of things wherever placed (a most commend- 
able disposition all will admit) yet it never pays to im- 
pose upon good nature. It is true that plants can be 
more readily kept free of weeds on light soil, and this 
is the only bit of truth in the information I obtained. 
On the other hand the strawberry is an exceedingly 
gross feeder — a perfect gourmand so to speak — and 
not particular as to diet ; stable manure, ground bone, 
wood ashes, hen manure, night soil, hog manure. It 
will thrive on them all, though it prefers to everything 
else cow manure, from its cool nature and abundance 
of nitrogen and one is not likely to give it too much. 

The greater the amount of fertilizers given the plants 
the greater will be the yield and size of the fruit they 
will give in return. 

Besides being a great feeder it is a deep drinker. 
By this I mean there are few truit-bearing plants that 
require a greater supply of water, or suffer more from 
the lack of it. Therefore, the folly of planting on light, 
porous soil will readily be seen. For this reason, also, 
is mulching of great benefit to the strawberry, which I 
will speak of more fully a little later. 

I have said the strawberry is a gourmand, and very 
much disposed to drink. These are natural habits and 
not acquired ones, hence good, and advantage should 
be taked of them. Were it not for these propensities 
it would not seem possible for the plants to produce 
the enormous crops that it is possible to obtain. There- 
fore in preparing the soil, not only should it be well 
fertilized and well pulverized, but prepared deepl}' — a 
foot at least and as much further as you will — for the 
double purpose of placing in the soil a large supply of 
plant food and to induce the plants to thrust down long 
roots deep in the soil to obtain it, and thus to with- 
stand drought with comparatively little injury. There 
are so many ways and distances practiced in planting 
that I will attempt to describe none here, merely sug- 
gesting that the strawberry plant is one of the easiest 



to make live and to plant in a manner that will admit 
of easy culture. They look very pretty in narrow rows 
when first set out, but alas ! the weeds and grass will 
appear, and like bad habits, they are of a ranker growth 
and must be kept down or they will suppress all the 
good. If the patch is of much extent it should be 
planted in a manner that will admit of horse culti- 
vation by all means. 

Well do I remember my first strawberry bed. The 
w^ay I planted it I could cultivate only wi;h the hoe and 
my fingers. How hot the weather! How long the 
days ! How relentlessly did the scorching sun blaze 
down upon me while pulling the weeds from among 
these plants. 

It requires a good deal of moral courage to keep 
all of the runners cut off, but such must be done in 
order to have fine fruit. Although easily clipped off 
with a hoe there is perhaps nothing in strawberry cul- 
ture so often neglected, both by experienced and inex- 
perienced growers. The latter lack knowledge, the 
former too often lack courage to put their knowledge 
in practice. But the plants should be kept in hills or 
single rows at best, for an excess of plants has the same 
influence as weeds in a strawberry bed, diminishing 
both the size of the berries and the yield. 

In speaking of planting, I should have said the plant 
of the strawberry is one of the easiest to transplant if 
properly planted. A very common error (and one I 
made to perfection in setting my first bed) is to plant 
too deeply. The fact that plants of cabbage, tomatoes, 
and many garden vegetables live and thrive better if 
planted deeply, perhaps leads to this mistake ; at any 
rate, if the crowns of strawberry plants are placed be- 
low the surface they will decompose and die. In plant- 
ing, set the plants no deeper in the soil than when 
growing, or with the leaves even with the surface. 
The roots should be straightened and placed their full 
length in the soil, pressing it firmly on every side to 
prevent drying. 

To be successful in strawberry growing as with 
everything else, the cultivator must be forehanded, 
and especially is this the case in planting, which should 
be done as early in the Spring as the frost is out and 
the soil in a condition to "work," or as early in die 
Summer as the plants have become well rooted. 

Do not expect to excel everybody else at the outset , 
too many entertain such ideas and meet with such igno- 
minious failures as to be ever after discouraged from 
making another attempt. In planting my first plants, 
no ordinary kinds would do for me ; oh, no ! and I 
planted wholly of the Nicanor, then a new variety sell- 
ing at a high price ; the result was that the crop was 
extraordinary only in its diminutive size in all respects. 
I then planted Wilson and Agriculturist, and did 
" astonish the natives" in every truth, both by the size 
of the berries and the yield. 

Begin with the old, reliable sorts ; it will be quite 
time enough to court the acquaintance of the frivolous 
bellies of the season — the novelties— when you have 
established friendship with the worthy matrons. 

Let no one plant strawberries unless he will protect 
them in Winter. Who w^ould expect a covV to give a 
large yield of milk, or a horse to look and travel well 
if left exposed to the inclemency of the weather ? One 
might as well expect the best returns from his straw- 
berry plants without protection. Not much is needed 
and most anything will do, for the strawberry is not at 
all fastidious ; salt meadow hay, leaves, straw, chaff, 
or other loose light material is preferable, but shavings, 
pine needles, tan bark, or corn stalks, will answer. 
Evergreen boughs are excellent ; but the best of all is 
stable manure, as the soluable portions leak into the 
earth and supply food for the plants, while the fibrous 
portions remain apon the surface and afford a protec- 
tion. 

Not only does this so-called "mulch" protect the 
plants from the cold and blighting winds of Winter, 
but keeps the ground cool and moist during Spring and 
the fruiting season, keeping the fruit trom the ground 
in a clean and sound condition. It should not be an- 
plied until the ground has become slightly frozen in 
Autumn ; but under no circumstances allow it all to 
remain to prove a smothering blanket to the plants 
when growth starts in Spring. This will be the case 
unless a portion is removed so soon as the ground be- 
comes thawed and settled in Spring. 

After that nothing remains to be done except wait a 
few weeks until strawberry time, and then — I deem it 
unnecessary to explain what to do, even to a novice. 

I. T. LOVETT. 



46 



PEARS, PLUMS AND GRAPES. 



WESTEKK NEW YORK HOR- 
TICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Reforming tlxe Nomenclature of Fruits. 



BY PRESIDENT BARRY. 



An attempt is about to be made to bring about some 
reformation in the names of fruits, and although the 
subject will be brought before the society in a proper 
form, a few words of reference to it here may not be 
out of place. 

The need of some reform has long been felt, but has 
been regarded as such a difficult, if not impossible 
undertaking, that no serious or persistent efforts have 
been made up to this time. 

At the last meeting of the American Pomological So- 
ciety, a series of rules were adopted as a basis of re- 
form, and President Wilder has taken up the matter 
with his usual earnestness. I am sure that every nur- 
seryman and fruit grower appreciates the necessity of 
this movement and will give it his support. Its success 
will, in a great measure, depend upon the co-operation 
of such societies as this. 

I understand that many of the leading societies 
throughout the country have taken action on the sub- 
ject already. 

Quite recently I had some correspondence with the 
editor of the French Horticultural Journal, and he has 
promised to have the matter brought before their socie- 
ties. A distinguished French author, Decaisne, in his 
great work, the " Jardin Frutier du Museum," at- 
tempted reform and made a vast number of changes to 
simplify and improve the nomenclature, but scarcely 
any, perhaps not one, of his changes have been adopted 
in catalogues or other publications. It is difficult to 
change a name of long standing and general use. 
Nothing but a general and w^elldirected movement will 
do it. Our nomenclature is really a reproach to pomo- 
logical science, and if this movement succeeds it will 
be the crowning work of the American Pomological 
Society. 

Pear Culture. 

• Mr. Willard— Can grow on his land what might not 
be best in all localities. The Rutter has proved a pro- 
fitable pear yn'vCa. him, although it is not of first quality. 
It bears well, keeps w^ell, ripens without rotting at core. 
Manning's Elizabeth is a great bearer, and proves pro- 
fitable, although small. Localities differ and we must 
decide upon those that do best in our own locality. 
Kieffer stands at the head of the list with him. Not one 
of the highest quality. Some consider it ahead of 
Clairgeau in quality. Bartlett, Anjou, Bosc, and Clair- 
geau are all profitable varieties. 

Thomas had some years found Seckel very profitable, 
but this year it was very poor. Bartlett and Lawrence 
are always successful . Had a Kieffer three years from 
bud that bore three pecks of fruit. It is a large, fine 
fruit, with but one defect. It is not fit to eat. Had 
seen them in Philadelphia of pretty fair quality. 

Mr. P. B. Crandall, Ithaca — Would name Duchess 
first; it pays him best. Next Anjou; third Seckel. 
Duchess, in quantity, would double any other variety. 
His is a heavy soil with eastern slope. Had thirty va- 
rieties ; Sheldon blighted exceptionally bad. One tree 
he covered with earth over the roots, three feet deep, 
and it remained thrifty and productive. Diel was very 
productive under similar circumstances. Anjou very 
productive on quince -also Duchess. 

Wm. P. Rupert, Geneva — Few pears in number, 
comparatively eaten out of hand ; more canned. 
Would claim nothing for Kieffer in eating, but in can- 
ning it is ahead of everything. 

D.E.Rogers inquired about Flemish Beauty. He 
has 200 trees bearing well. It is a good pear, and will 
sell for twice as much as Seckel . It is generally con- 
demned on account of blighting and the black 
fungus. 

Mr. Barry — Had specimens of the variety that were 
very fine. 

Mr. Hoag — Duchess failed with him as a standard . 
Mr. Arnold had some Duchess standards bearing well . 

Daniel Conger, Wolcott, has standard Duchess, and 
did not consider it fit to eat. 

Mr. Thomas had seen the mixture recommended by 
Mr. Hooker, for blight, applied to pear trees, and they 



still blighted. Though successful remedies were gen- 
erally put on just as blirjht is disappearing. 

Plums. 

N. Bogue has about 100 Lombard plum trees, planted 
in 1878, and have borne four seasons. Applied night- 
soil pretty freely before planting and had manured 
heavily since. Had a good crop past year. On two 
rows the leaves dropped considerably, and those rows 
received less manure than the others. Plums require 
heavy manuring. Sold past year's crop for two dollars 
and fifty cents and three dollars a bushel. Grows no 
other variety. 

Mr. Willard gave as his most profitable varieties : 
Bradshaw, Hudson River, Peter's Gage, Reine Claude, 
Gueii, French Damson and Copper. 

Woodward had found Richland a profitable variety. 
Small, but a good shipper and sells well. Almost cur- 
culio proof. Give all the manure you can and thin the 
fruit. Came from Hoopes Brothers & Thomas, of 
Pennsylvania, and is a seedling of the common Damson. 

Mr. Hoag had trees set one year ago last Spring with 
500 to 600 plums on last season. 

Willard s plums were in bloom when the cold storm 
came. Those that had bloomed and petals dropped be- 
fore the storm, set fruit well and those that had bloomed 
after the storm also set well, but those that bloomed 
during the storm failed. He had put salt under some 
of the trees and thought it, by cooling the earth, had 
the effect of retarding the blooming. Put about six 
large handfuls under a tree. 

Dr. Sturtevant had found considerable evidence that 
salt delays blooming by cooling the ground. Is exper- 
imenting in that direction. 

Grapes. 

J. S. Woodward, Lockport, said ds far as he had ob- 
served, planting grapes was never as active as now, in 
Western New York. People are just learning to use 
grapes. 

C. L. Hoag, Lockport — There are many 'vineyards 
now at Brocton, and along the shore of Lake Erie, and 
they are intending to plant largely there next Spring. 
They are going to plant extensively of the Niagara ; 
also of the Concord. Some think of digging up their 
apple orchards and planting their ground to grapes. 
He had lost but two crops of grapes in twenty-seven 
years. Had Niagara that produced five tons to the acre. 

George E. Snow, Brockport, lives on Keuka lake^ 
Grapes there suffered much from early frosts, but not 
to the extent to destroy the crop. It succeeded better 
than other crops. Planting is increasing very rapidly 
in that section, in favorable localities. Concord, Cat- 
awba and Delaware are the leading varieties. Brigh- 
ton, Niagara, Prentiss and some others, are now being 
planted. Had not seen a ripe Catawba this season. 

M. F. Varney, North Collins, Erie county, said but 
few vineyards are growing in his vicinity, and they are 
on the hills. Can't ripen Catawba ; nothing later than 
the Concord. 

Luther M . Hair, is from the vicinity of Seneca lake — 
In the vineyards there, the vines best cared for did the 
best. The largest vineyard marketed sixty-seven tons 
and put 100 tons in wine. Previous to past year the 
numbers were reyersed. Some are planting Tallman 
(or Champion) for market. Ripens early and sells well 
in market. 

S. D. Willard, Geneva — Worden is much better than 
Concord, and ripens much earlier. 

Daniel Conger, Wolcott — Worden was the only grape 
that ripened in Oswego county. He had for market in 
addition. Concord and Delaware. 

John J. Thomas, Union Springs, had Worden, Pough- 
keepsie Red, Concord and several others, and in walk- 
ing among his grapes, he almost always puts his 
hands upon the Worden. He had Champion, but they 
hung on the vine unpicked. 

George G. Atwood, Geneva — Worden on the same 
trellis, will ripen a week earlier than Concord. 

Josiah Salter, city — Moore's Early will ripen two 
weeks earlier than Concord and at the same time as 
Champion, and it is much better than the latter. It is 
a moderate cropper, not equal to Concord. 

Samuel Rogers, Lockport — Fruit growers on the 
Hudson have concluded that Champion is earlier than 
Moore's Early, but neither is fit for cultivation. 
Champion is not good, and Moore's is inclined to drop. 
Concord is still the main dependance there. Catawba 
fails to ripen. A grape that will bring more money in 



STRAWBERRIE;? AND RASPBERRIES. 



47 



market tuan Concord is desired. Good Concord? net- 
ted the producer from three to six cents a pound, while 
some only netted one cent. 

Mr. Harrison had eaten Pocklington that were ex- 
cellent. Mr. Wheeler had seen Pocklington that shelled 
.badly from the stem. Mr. Snow said vineyards near 
him had Pocklington, and they did shell some. Mr. 
Willard — Pocklington sold for twenty-five cents a 
pound, and he saw no shelling. Mr. Van Dusen — 
Pocklington shelled while Niagara, Prentiss and 
Brighton were holding well. 

Mr. Salter said this was the first time he ever heard 
of the Pocklington dropping. It is a great bearer, and 
if allowed to over-t;rop may drop, as all others would 
under like conditions. 

Mr. Thomas — Duchess is of good quality, hardy, but 
a little defective in foliage. It grows finely with Mr. 
Woodward, but his family would not eat it when they 
can get any other. Mr. Rogers regards the quality of 
the Duchess as among the best — better than the Dela- 
ware and Catawba. Wood growth enormous, but 
don't bear. It does the poorest with Caywood of any- 
where he has seen it. Mr. Thomas thinks it is variable, 
as is, also, the Poughkeepsie Red, which was very poor 
last year. Mr. Rogers — Duchess are very apt to have a 
specky appearance, as if flies had been on it. Foliage 
liable to mildew on the ground. 

W. C. Barry — Amber Queen very high flavored, one 
of the best, but cluster poor. Its merit is its fine qual- 
ity ; worthy of trial by amateurs. Duchess of fine 
quality. 

President Barry never saw any ot Miner's Seed'ings 
that he thought much of . Mr. Lewis — Too foxy and 
inclined to drop as soon as ripe. 

Mr. Prentiss, Pultney — Prentiss did well with him 
the past season. 

Mr. Willard — Vergennes bears well and is of good 
quality. A week or ten days later than Concord. 
Don't set well, cluster defective. Mr. Woodward — 
A good grower, good bearer, ragged cluster, and, with 
him, drops. Mr. Hoag finds Vergennes one of the best, 
and early as Concord ; much better than Moore's 
Early. Gross frauds are perpetrated on the country 
by plates of new grapes exhibited. Dr. Beadle, St. 
Catherines, Ont., has fruited Vergennes, and failed to 
find it as early as expected. 



Strawberries. 

S. D. Redman — Spring, doubtless, is the best time, 
with a dibber, in rows three to four feet apart, from 
twelve to fourteen inches in a row. Wilson variety. 

Daniel Congor — Sets with dibber, to line, and exer- 
cises care to put the roots down firmly in the ground . 
Raised most of the Manchester ; thinks much of it ; 
about half way between Wilson and Sharpless in fla- 
vor. Sharpless must be picked when ripe, or is insipid. 
Has had some great yields of Manchester, and has had 
some remain on the vines a w^eek after they had turned 
red without rotting. Set Vick last Spring, and it 
made great growth of plant. Cuts ofE part of top in 
planting, and sets very tight, in rows three and one- 
half feet by fifteen inches. Lets rows fill in to one and 
one-half to two feet wide . 

N. Bogue explained a method he had seen adopted 
for family culture. Take a barrel and bore rows of 
inch holes, about five inches apart. Fill with soil to 
first row of holes, put a plant in every one ; fill up to 
the next row and set another row of plants, and so on 
until the barrel is filled . Can get about loo plants in a 
barrel. Whenever soil in barrel gets dry, water with 
liquid manure. In the case described, those planted in 
barrel had five good berries to a plant, while those 
planted in ground, as usual, had scarcely a good berry. 

H. D. Van Dusen, Newark, N. Y. — Bidwell gave 
best satisfaction ; Manchester, with him, was not of 
good flavor. Bidwell sold for two cerjts a quart more 
in home market than any other. Greatest defect, 
white tips. Would not recommend it for long ship- 
ping. 

Mr. Varney — Wilson leads all others in his locality 
for market. 

Mr. Van Dusen— For yield. Crescent leads all. A 
little soft for shipping, but good for canning. A pistil- 
late needing fertilizing. Will greatly outbear Wilson. 

I. C. Arnold, Benton Centre, would name President 
Wilder and Mt. Vernon for home use. 

Luthur M. Hair had been told that it is a waste of 
time to set runners from old plants. He set 20,000 such 
and lost 14,000. Members were of the opinion that the 
plants had been frozen while out of the ground . 



Mr. Van Dusen — If you have strong. Hew plants, it 
makes no difference whether from young or old plants. 
Charles Downing is good for home use and can pick 
from same bed for several years. A gentleman said 
Early Canada is several days earlier than Wilson and 
of better quality. 

J. S. Woodward— Cumberland Triumph is one of the 
best for home use. Mr. Harris thought we need more 
than one variety for home use ; want a succession 
through the longest possible season. 

Mr. Redman would name for home use : Crescent, 
Wilson, Cumberland, Sharpless and Mt. Vernon. 

S. D. Willard named Bidwell, Sharpless, Cumber- 
land, Crescent and New Dominion. 

Mr. C^gor named Crescent, Wilson, Downing, 
Sharpless and Manchester, for home use. 

W. C. Barry said the Manchester, from which so 
much was e.\pected, has been found deficient in an im- 
portant qualification, to wit, healthy foliage. We did 
not notice any weakness in this respect until it had 
ripened its first crop of fruit, which was satisfactory ; 
then its leaves turned brown, wilted, and in a short 
time after, the original plants seemed nearly dead. 
Notwithstanding this, the runners continued to grow, 
and the beds, by fall, were pretty well filled with 
plants. Hence this may not prove to be a serious 
defect after all . 

The James Vick excels in the opposite particular — 
fine, healthy foliage. There is not another sort which 
has such deep green colored foliage. We think, how- 
ever, in order to maintain the size of the berries, that 
it will require good cultivation. It has a tendency to 
over-prdduction, and needs checking or stimulating, in 
order to obtain fruit of proper size. 

Raspberries. 

Daniel Congor named Souhegan, Ohio, Gregg, for 
family or market. 

Mr. Van Dusen named Doolittle, Ohio, Shaffer's 
(for family — color would injure for market), Cuthbert, 
red. 

Mr. Varney — Doolittle, Gregg and Cuthbert. 

Mr. Congor — Souhegan is four or five days earlier 
than Doolittle. Cuthbert is best red. 

Robert Johnston, Shortsville — Fruited Hansel on 
spring set plants and the fruit was fully equal to plate. 
Tyler and Gregg are his favorites for market. Picked 
his first Tylers several days before Gregg and it con- 
tinued about as late, making a much longer season. 
Has proved, with him, the most productive of all the 
blackcaps. Seems to perfect every germ it forms. 
Thinks much of the Ohio for drying; very firm. 
Would give Cuthbert preference among reds. 

Van Dusen named following good points of Ohio : 
Can pick the greatest number of years ; has picked 
from same plantation eight years, and after the planta- 
tion was abandoned it yielded a good crop ; greater 
j'ielder than Gregg; hardier, never missing a crop. 
Gregg will not stand the winter on low, wet ground. 
A man picked $1,000 worth of Ohios from two acres. 
Has been afraid of overstocking the market for the last 
ten years, but has kept extending. There has been no 
depression in prices of evaporated blackcaps below 
twenty-eight cents a pound. In an experience of 
twenty years has yet to pick his first unprofitable crop 
of blackcaps. 

Samuel Rogers has seen Marlboro growing on Cay- 
wood's grounds since 1880, and considered it the most 
prolific grown and largest, finest berry of any he ever 
saw. Mr. Cay wood's neighbors have confidence in it. 
Has seen it after it had fallen off on the ground in 
good, firm condition. Earlier than Cuthbert, continu- 
ing about three weeks. 

W. C. Barry said the Cuthbert has done admirably. 
It is an acquisition and does the originator credit. 
Shaffer's Colossal is valuable in its way, being very 
hardy and productive, but the berries are of such a dull 
color that they will not be attractive in market. Hop- 
kins, one of the newer Caps, better flavored than Mam- 
moth Cluster, but the plant is not so proSuctive. Ken- 
tucky and Belmont, two varieties of recent introduc- 
tion, produced invariably malformed berries, hence, 
seem to be valueless. By far the handsomest berry I 
saw last season among many kinds was Knevett's 
Giant. The fruit is as large and handsome. In this 
case a truthful representation would equal the exag- 
gerated colored plates we are often called upon to 
admire. Being a European variety, it may not be suf- 
ficiently hardy to answer all purposes, but for the 
amateur it will be worthy of culture. Souhegan and 



48 



MANURES. 



Tyler are so nearly alike that it would require an 
expert to detect any difference, and then it is probable 
that they would be pronounced similar. To my taste 
the Tyler is preferable. They are both valuable for an 
eaily crop and supply a want which has existed. The 
Marlboro has large, handsome foliage, quite distinct in 
this respect from any other variety. Superb is 
another distinct variety, producing large, round ber- 
ries ; somewhat dry and of fair quality. It is said to 
crumble badly. Herstine has again proved itself to be 
one of the most useful varieties. 

Blackberrie . — Snyder sustains its previous repre- 
sentation for productiveness and hardiness. Taylor is 
larger, later and quite promising. So is Duncan Falls. 
Western Triumph produced only imperfect berries. 



Manures. 



BY PROFESSOR G. C. CALDWELL. 



As my first, bottom facf of all, I would give this : 
supposing that a man sets out with the right kind of 
location, soil, markets, etc.; he can keep his fruit farm 
in a good condition, and make all the money that the 
case will admit of, provided that he can get all the 
stable manure that he wants, of a fair quality, and at a 
fair price ; you will certainly admit this as a funda- 
mental fact ; if not, I might as well stop right here ; 
for I must build the rest of my foundation on top of it. 
Supposing this to stand, let us inquire next, what are 
the materials contained in the stable manure that give 
it such a universal value? They are, no dyubt, its 
nitrogen, in various forms of combination, its phos- 
phoric acid, in the form of phosphates, its potash and 
Its lime, neither of them in the forms familiar to us in 
the potash from ashes, and quicklime, but as entirely 
neutral or inactive compounds ; and its organic mat- 
ter, as the chemists call that part of it which may be 
burned off by fire, and is burning up in every hot pile 
of fresh manure, that is becoming fire-fanged. There 
are other matters in the manure — sulphuric acids in the 
sulphates, silicic acid in the silicates, chlorine in the 
chlorides, and magnesia and Iron in chemical combi- 
nation ; and they undoubtedly take more or less part 
in the useful effect of the manure as a whole ; but there 
is not any accumulation of evidence, either in the 
results of experience or of experiment to show that 
these substances take more than a very unimportant 
part in the work ; and as we are after only well-estab- 
lished facts, that hold good under all general condi- 
tions, we leave these substances out of the count. 
Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, lime, and organic 
matter to make vegetable mould— these five materials, 
if furnished to the crops in suitable forms and in suit- 
able quantities and in a suitable manner would, for 
many years at least, in the case of any soil that is in a 
fair condition to start with, produce all the effects of a 
dressing in like amount of stable manure ; and to pro- 
long the effect for a life-time, it would only be neces- 
sary to apply at intervals of a few years, or every year 
a little, salt for its chlorine, plaster for its sulphuric 
acid, and the German salt, kainite, for its magnesia, to 
make sure that these other necessary constituents of 
the food of plants do not entirely run out. Of the five 
materials above mentioned, the lime also will, under 
ordinary conditions, need no looking after ; partly 
because it is generally sufficiently abundant in the 
average soil to answer all the demands of the crops for 
many years, but more because it enters so largely into 
the composition of the phosphate that we should have 
to use more or less freely in any system of manuring 
without stable manure ; and we need give ourselves ' 
little trouble about it, also, because if needed in extra [ 
quantity it is so easily obtained and aoplied, as quick- 
lime, or as gound limestone, or in plaster. 

So we have, finally, only four substances that we 
need specially to look after — nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 
potash, and organic matter or vegetable or animal 
remains ; if we can only manage the supply of these 
four, rightly, all the rest may be left to take care of 
themselves, at least for a long while. It seems as if 
it should be easy to manage so small a business as that; 
we have brands of phosphates without number, all 
claiming to be of superior excellence, and supplied to 
us almost at our very doors ; most of them contain 
some of the nitrogen that we also need to make up our 
combination ; and if they do not contain enough of 
this, there are nitrates or ammonia salts, sold for their 
nitrogen only, and of which we can have all we will 
buy ; of potash in suitable forms for plant food there is 



—_ _ 4 

unlimited store in the German potash salts, where 
unleached wood ashes cannot be had at reasonable 
rates ; and of organic matters — vegetable and animal 
remains — which make up four-fifths of that which is 
left after you drive all the water out of stable manure, 
or four-fifths of the dry substance of the manure ; 
where can we buy that ? Echo answers, where ? We 
may put a little on the soil in a dressing of superphos- 
phate containing dried blood, added to the superphos- 
phate for its nitrogen, or if we manure with bone 
meal ; but the quantity so added is very small indeed, 
compared with what is put on in an ordinary dressing 
of stable manure. Here we seem to meet our first 
difficulty, in the matter of getting supplies to take the 
place of stable manure ; and perhaps it is going to be 
no easy matter to overcome the obstacle. It may be 
well to ask and answer the question a\ nether we can- 
not overcome the difficulty by paying i t attention to 
it. Is this organic matter plant food ? to the best of 
our knowledge it is not, except in so far as it contains 
nitrogen, which it always does ; but the nitrogen can 
easily be provided for otherwise; therefore, ns far as 
direct plant food is concerned we can get along with- 
out the organic matter of the stable manure. But 
what farmer or fruit-grower is there that would agree 
with me and be willing to follow my teaching if I 
should say to him that his manure will do just about as 
much good if he should burn it up, and then to replace 
the nitrogen that would all be driven off in the burn- 
ing, add to the hundred weight of ashes that he would 
get from every ton of it, twenty-five pounds of sul- 
phate of ammonia, containing about five pounds of 
nitrogen, as much as there is that is really assimilable 
in a ton of fresh manure; perhaps he could not tell 
why he would much rather have the whole manure ; 
perhaps the agricultural chemist cannot satisfactorily 
tell why ; but if I should call for a show of hands in 
this audience of those who would exchange a ton of 
good stable manure for a hundred and twenty-five 
pounds of such a mixture, of the ashes of the very best 
manure and sulphate of ammonia in the proportions 
just given, I am quite confident that it would be a very 
poor show. 

I think I shall not be mistaken in saying that a recent 
correspondent of the Country Gentleman speaks the 
mind of almost every fruit-grower in this audience, 
when he says as to the manure question in his own 
locality, Vineland, New Jersey, after asserting that the 
farmers will have to resort to keeping cows, to get 
manure for their fruits that ''''commercial vtanures do 
not fill the bill .''^ Why do they not answer? I see 
but two reasons ; it is either because we do not hit 
upon the right combination or mixture of such plant 
foods as they contain ; or it is because of the lack of 
the organic matters — the humus or vegetable mould 
forming substance which they do not contain, but 
which the stable manure does contain. If the first rea- 
son were the reason, there would not be the slightest 
difficulty in getting around it .-anyone of the half-a- 
dozen manufacturers of fertilizers in the cities could 
make to order a mixture containing nitrogen, phos- 
phates, potash salts, and all the rest, jn so nearly the 
same proportions as in stable manure, and in so much 
the same degree of solubility, that no crop could tell 
the difference when this mixture should be offered to 
it. Some manufacturers have gone even ahead of 
this, and prepared dishes, supposed to be even better 
than stable manure, because containing these foods in 
just the proportions required by each crop — a princi- 
ple of manuring that I think has been just as success- 
ful in general practice as it is sensible as to its theory — 
which is very little of either success or sense. 

Are we not, then, cornered by the conclusion that if 
we cannot get stable manure, and wish to do what we 
can to substitute for it commercial fertilizers, we must 
in some way make good the deficiency in respect to the 
organic matter ; w6 must keep up the condition of the 
soil in respect to its vegetable mould, in other words. 
This can be done in but two ways, so far as I see ; by a 
liberal draft on beds of rich muck, wherever the fruit- - 
grower has such beds on his farm. If he has no muck 
beds, then he must resort to green manuring ; in this 
case he will have to manure his farm as all other farm- 
ers do — he must rotate his crops ; in the case of some 
fruits this would be no disadvantage, such as those that 
must be renewed every few years ; in the case of oth- 
ers, as the apple, pear, cherry, or grape, it would be 
(}uite otherwise ; there a course might be followed sim- 
ilar to one which is stated to have been successfully 
practiced now for ten years in a vineyard in Germany, 



UNDERDRATNING. 



49 



of partially replacing the stable manure by a mixture 
of a special vineyard manure containing soluble phos- 
phates, potash salts and nitrogea compounds. 

If you should use muck, and should have access to a 
variety of deposits, it is well to remember that there 
are very considerable differences in mucks ; as to the 
plant foot to be used with the muck or with the green 
manure ; if your substitute for stable manure is to be 
as nearly like the thing for which it is substituted as 
practicable, you should supply to the crop all three of 
the specially valuable ingredients of commercial fertil- 
izers — nitrogen, phosphate and potash salts. In a 
paper which I read before this society in 1879, 1 showed 
that, as far as we can conclude from the very limited 
chemical data at our command, a fruit crop removes 
from an acre of soil somewhat the same quantities of 
these three plant foods as are carried off in ordinary 
farm cropping. Future experience and experiment 
may show that for this crop or that one a more or less 
one-sided manuring may do better — that for one kind 
of fruit more than the average proportion of potash 
will give the best results — that for another phosphate is 
especially successful ; but I do not think that as yet we 
have had enough experience with commercial fertiliz- 
ers on fruits, so that we can lay down any rules at all 
in regard to their use in the orchard or the small fruit 
garden. 

Every fruit-grower is accustomed to the use of stable 
manure, and knows just about what it will do for him ; 
and he naturally shrinks from launching out into any 
new course so long as he can follow the old one with 
any show of success. But unless the complaint of your 
president is without reason, somebody has got to move 
in the matter; and it ought not to be a great while 
before reports on the use of commercial fertilizers will 
begin to come in at these annual meetings, and we may 
begin to accumulate some experience, to be of service 
for future guidance . 

I do not see what more I can do for you, in response 
to your appeal for more manure, than to lay down 
these few principles that may help in the search for 
and the use of materials to supplement the insufiQcient 
supply : 

First, that there is enough to be had, and at fair and 
reasonable prices, of everything that is contained in 
stable manure. 

Second, that, at least for the present, we need not 
attempt to supply all these constituents of the stable 
manure ; that we can obtain the same results we have 
been getting, if we can only learn how to maintain in 
a proper manner the stock of vegetable mould In the 
soil, by a suitable supply of fresh vegetable matter in 
a green manuring, or of partially decayed vegetable 
matter in muck, and in addition can learn how to use 
successfully the three useful ingredients of these com- 
mercial fertilizers, to which we must resort if we are 
going to try to get along without stable manure. 



TTnderdraining. 



BY JOSEPH HARRIS. 



In this section we can easily get rid of large quanti- 
ties of water in the spring from the surface of the land 
by the use of plow and hoe. On our winter wheat 
fields we attend to this matter at the time of sowing in 
the autumn. On land to be sown with spring crof)s 
this practice is not so common, and yet a few hour's 
work with a three-horse plow, followed by hand hoes, 
will let off more water in a day than the sun will evap- 
orate in a month. It will enable us to commence plow- 
ing a week or ten days earlier than if this work is neg- 
lected. 

There is much land, however, where surface drains 
do little good. We may not see the water on the sur- 
face, but underneath the land is wet and will stay wet 
till it is baked hard and dry in summer. Such land, 
before it can be profitably worked, must be under- 
drained. 

Land resting on a dry, porous subsoil is already 
underdrained. Such land, for a few years after it is 
first brought into cultivation, is likely to be very pro- 
ductive, but in a few years will need manure to main- 
tain its fertility. 

Land which is not naturally drained often contains 
large stores of plant food, lying in an unavailable con- 
dition. Underdraining, by removing the stagnant 
water, lets in oxygen, and, as we sometimes say, 
*' sweetens the soil, and renders it exceedingly, pro- 
ductive. I do not propose to weary you by any 



remarks on the general subject of underdraining. You 
all know its importance, and how to perform the work. 
I want to ask this intelligent body of practical and sci- 
entific men a question. What is the chief object of 
underdraining ? The general answer is to get rid of all 
the water which the soil will not hold by capillary 
attraction. Lawes & Gilbert found that an acre of 
their wheat field contained, on the unmanured plot, 
1,396 tons of water ; on the plot dressed with artificial 
manure, 1,549 tons ; and on the plot dressed with four- 
teen tons of bara-yard manure every year, 1,610 tons 
of water. There are underdrains running up each plot 
eight and one-fourth yards apart. When the soil con- 
tains more than the above quantity of water the under- 
drains run; when the quantity gets down to this amount 
the underdrains stop running. The larger the crops, the 
more water will they take up from the soil . By actual 
experiment, Lawes & Gilbert found that a crop of 
manured hay that yielded a little over one and one-half 
tons per acre evaporated two inches more w^ater — say 
200 tons — chan the unmanured crop of less than one- 
th'rd of a ton, and another heavily manured crop that 
yielded over three tons of hay per acre evaporated 
three and one-fourth inches — say 320 tons — more than 
the small unmanured crop, and a crop of barley evap- 
orated nine inches — say 1,800 tons per acre — more 
water than the land lying in bare fallow alongside. 

A healthy, vigorous, well-fed plant can use a large 
amount of water, even in the moist, cool climate of 
Great Britain. How much greater quantity can it use 
in our hot, dry climate ? 

Is the object of underdraining to ^et rid of water? 
Fresh water is not, necessarily, injurious to plants. 
Stagnant water, by depriving the plants of oxygen, is 
injurious. If we can make the surface of the soil, early 
in the spring, dry enough for the operations of tillage 
and sowing, and, at the same time, remove all stagnant 
water from the land to the depth of say three feet, the 
object of underdraining will be accomplished. Is this 
true ? If so, then we can introduce a new system of 
draining. If we fill a barrel with dry soil three feet 
deep and pour on it say fifty quarts of water and let it 
remain till it is thoroughly diffused through the soil, 
and then bore a hole near the bottom of the barrel, as 
we do in leaching ashes to make soap, no water will 
runout. The soil holds it by capillary attraction. If 
you stop up this hole and pour on twenty quarts more 
water this extra quantity of waiel will remain in the 
lower portion of the soil and, if left long enough, will 
become stagnant and injurious to plants. On the other 
hand, if the hole at the bottom remained open this 
extra twenty quarts of water would have drained away 
and we should have an ordinary well-underdrained 
soil. After the barrel of soil was saturated with the 
fifty quarts of water and the hole left open at the bot- 
tom, if it was then placed in a larger barrel of water 
eighteen inches deep, we should, in process of time, 
have eighteen inches of stagnant water in the barrel of 
soil. But if the barrel of w ater was standing in a run- 
ning stream eighteen inches deep, and we then poured 
on twenty more quarts of water, this twenty quarts of 
fresh water would displace twenty quarts of water 
from the bottom of the barrel and we should get rid of 
the stagnant water. We should have a water logged soil, 
eighteen inches deep at bottom, but it would not be 
stagnant water. Whenever it rained, or we poured 
water on top, the fresh water would not be discharged 
below. It would drive out the old water already in 
the soil. 

I have on my farm two cases where a series of under- 
drains discharge through an outlet that is from a foot 
to eighteen inches below the water in the open ditch. 
The drainage is apparently just as eflncient as if the 
outlet was free . The land can be plowed as early in 
the spring as any on the farm, and the crops are quite 
as good, or better. 

I am satisfied such a system of tile draining can fre- 
quently be adopted with advantage. I would dig the 
drains when the water in the stream or ditch below 
was low enough to allow the tiles to be put down three 
feet deep. Of course when the water rises eighteen 
inches in the stream or ditch we should have eighteen 
inches of water above the bottom of the tile, but it 
would not be stagnant water, and the upper eighteen 
inches of surface soil would be porous and moist, but 

not wet. . . . _. • 1 

There are some precautions needed . A short, single 
underdrain, in such circumstances, would soon fill up 
with sediment, but if a series of drains were all con- 
ducted into one main drain, laid with large tiles, no 



50 



APPLICATION OF MANUEES. 



stoppage need be feared. There will be sufficient 
force to the water to keep the drains and the outlet 
free. 



NEAV JERSEY HORTICUL- 
TURAL, SOCIETY. 



Manure — Fertilizei-s, and Mode.* jf A'/pli- 
cation. 



JV THEO. F. BAKER. 



The, Flemish people call manure the God of Farming, 
and to the observing tiller of the soil of to-day it is 
being exemplified more each succeeding year. Espec- 
ially so in the older States, by the continual cropping 
and returning nothing to the soil to pay for what has 
been taken off. " Robbery is equally a crime whether 
it be perpetuated on the soil or on thy brother," is a 
Roman maxim and one which criminates the general- 
ity ot farmers who annually rob mother earth. Chem- 
istry illustrates the air as invariable in its composition, 
always furnishing carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydro- 
gen in excess of all plant needs ; while the soil is 
exceedingly variable. A fertile soil must therefore 
correspond with the air, and furnish food to the roots 
as does the air to the plant, tree, or vine, containing 
and furnishing all the ash ingredients, phosphates, sul- 
phates, carbonates of potash, soda, lime, magnesia, 
alkali, chlorides, etc., essential to promote a vigorous 
growth. Therefore, to obtain such fruits, flowers and 
plants in our worn and barren soils we must supply in 
some way the required elements that have been con- 
sumed by this repeated process of cropping and rob- 
bing the soil. Artificial or cultivated growth is rapid 
and therefore exhaustive ; to still reduce it we remove 
the crop for consumption, thus rebutting nature's nat- 
ural laws to recuperate itself, as seen in the forest and 
prairie. This, then, is the theory for manuring — sup- 
plementing for what we receive ; some plants draw 
more of one particular ash than others, therefore 
requiring more of that particular element than plants 
of another family. In what shape, and at least cost, 
can we best secure these needed elements ? Manure 
being the general refuse of vegetables and plants, with 
the droppings of animals, contain all the elements of 
vegetable nutrition, which, therefore, makes a com- 
plete manure — most farmers and cultivators say. Yet, 
my experience has been to the contrary — in every 
instance tried — as applied for garden crops. Besides 
manure, I am compelled to use large quantities of fer- 
tilizers of some kind, and, to test the merits of each, 
began a series of experiments in a small way, using 
best stable manure on one rod, fertilizers of different 
brands on another, and the two (manure and fertilizer 
combined) on a third; each plot to represent equal 
amounts, dollar for dollar, and noted the result care- 
fully for four years, and, from these observations, have 
settled down to a combination of manure and fertiliz- 
ers first, artificial fertilizers second, and manure alone 
last, to produce early, large and paying crops in the 
garden. The first item in manuring is the cost, and 
what will ^ive the largest returns for a given amount 
of dollars invested, manure or fertilizers? In apply- 
ing manure I use from 40 to 50 two-horse loads per 
acre on an average, though I have used 100 loads . 
The 40 or 50 loads would cost, in our city, from $70 to 
$90 per acre, besides the hauling and spreading. 
Allowing the whole expense of manure, hauling, and 
spreading to amount to $100, that amount would pur- 
chase two tons bone, or two tons Stockbridge, and 
nearly two tons Mapes' fertilizers, or ij^ tons Peruvian 
guano; now, if any gardener will apply either of these 
fertilizers alongside the manure, dollar for dollar, I 
wager the crop that the fertilizers will give the earliest, 
largest and therefore, best paying crops on my soil — 
sandy loam, clay sub-soil. 

As a combination, 1 use 25 loads of manure and one 
ton of fine bone, or one ton of reliable fertilizer, saving 
about $20 per acre by the combination, and have 
always received for such manuring good crops and 
handsome profits. When applying fertilizers alone I 
use from one to one and one-half tons per acre; for a 
garden crop in the Spring. One ton per acre 'is less 
than an ounce to the square foot. By manuring in 
this way and increasing the amount, and deepening my 
soil accordingly with subsoil plow, I have increased the 



receipts of my farm from $1,750 to $7,300 for one year 
from sales alone, besides what was consumed at home 
by family and stock. By high manuring and thorough 
tillage one can produce crops from one to two weeks 
ahead of others, and being of good quality, owing to 
quick growth, the market fresh, they find ready sale, at 
prices that return good profit. 

By the time the market is overstocked your crop will 
be harvested and the same ground ready for a second 
crop, the one manuring: being sufficient to produce both 
crops. I have used night soil, but not in the crude 
state, always mi.xing with marsh mud or muck at the 
rate of one to three, working over twice and use for 
hill or drill, for which it answers well, but find no per- 
manent benefits from its use broadcast. 

Another combination which I have made, and used 
for two years with good results, is 25 bushels of hen 
manure, dry and sifted fine, to 400 lbs. of cotton seed 
meal, 400 lbs. plaster, 400 lbs. fine bone meal, 400 lbs. 
sulphate of potash and 10 bushels marsh mud or muck, 
which, when completed, will make about one and one- 
half tons at a cost of $17 per ton. This combination 
has given as good returns, side by side, as bone meal, 
night soil and different brands of fenilizers, and is a 
saving of fully $20 per ton. 

MODE OF APPLICATION. 

All stable or yard manure are hauled out in the Fall 
and Winter and spread broadcast on a fall-plowed sur- 
face, that the rains and snows may wash and leach out 
the fertilizing elements, and deposit them in the soil 
ready for immediate action on the crops in the Spring ; 
being distributed and in a soluble condition the plants 
receive the benefit at once, and show vigorous growth 
of both rooi and //ant, while on land Iresh manured 
the plant develops at the expense of the tap-root, and 
when the time comes for the head or bulb to form it 
must stop and wait for renewed strength to come from 
new rootlets and the food from the soil — just the time 
for the enemies of the crop to commit their depreda- 
tions and destroy the crop. 

Another benefit is derived from fall manuring, inas- 
much as the soil is protected, and in the spring is mel- 
low and spongy, and will withstand drouth better, is 
easier put in condition for a crop, and the alter culture 
lessened. I also apply 500 lbs. sulphate of potash 
broadcast in the fall, per acre, that it may be dissolved 
and mingled through the soil by spring, insuring the 
safety of my seeds from its effects. 

All fertilizers are sown broadcast after the plow, and 
thoroughly mixed with the soil by an Acme harrow, 
and followed by the common scratch harrow. Broad- 
cast all you can, and as little in the hill as possible, 
would be my advice : else your prospects wilt be flat- 
tering, your crop a deception. Belonging to my farm 
is eight acres of river bottom land, or banked meadow, 
where the soil or deposit averages ten feet in depth of 
sediment and vegetable matter, entirsly free from grit 
and considered inexhaustable, only requiring lime 
once in five years to produce 75 bushels of corn per 
acre, or heavy crops of grass. I tried growing late 
cabbage on one acre of this land and gave it one ton of 
Stockbridge manure, broadcast, to the acre, and har- 
vested a heavy crop — big heads, and 95 per cent, head- 
ing. Another acre was put to cabbage and the same 
fertilizer applied at the same rate, in the row. I had 
immense leaves, covering the ground, and but few 
marketable heads, not over 30 percent. A few rows 
were omitted without fertilized, and from these rovis 
not two per cent, was marketable, and very little to 
show that plants had been set there. They were fee- 
ble growers, and the lice overpowered them^ — while 
none were to be found on the acre broadcasted. This 
experience proves, to me at least, that it pays to fertil- 
ize even our best and seemingly richest soils. Crops 
of the garden grow fast, and mature in a few weeks at 
most, when the conditions of the soil will admit and 
enough food in the proper condition, soluble, is at baud 
to furnish their immediate demands. To do this we 
must fertilize and manure heavy each and every year, 
and broadcast, has been my experience. 

Bridgeton, N. J., 1884. 

E. Roberts thought the price of the stable manure 
was ridiculously low. In the vicinity of Philadelphia 
it would cost twice as much; and yet taking this stand- 
point the disparity between the two would be mHch 
greater than Mr. Baker had put it. 

J. Burt thought his manure cost him $2.00 to $2.50 
per load, and others had paid $3.00 to $3.50 per ton. 

J. M. White fully confirmed the views of Mr. Baker 
as to the value of commercial fertilizers, but thought 



SHIPPING FRUITS. 



51 



■we could not dispense with stable manure altogether ; 
believed in supplementing it with commercial fertiliz- 
ers. Had useij night soil on sod ground, for cabbagt , 
at far less cost than any other manure he could get ; it 
cost him $1.25 P^r load. Inquiry was made as to the 
value of leached ashes. 

D . Baird had used them but never saw any benefit. 
J. S. Collins concurred. 

B. B. Hance had seen benefits from theif use on poor 
land ; on good land it was not so apparent. 

Z. U. Matthews had used them on sweet potatoes 
with decided benefits, but on strawberries he could not 
see any profit. 

Wm. Parry had not found much benefit from its use 
alone, but composted, found it excellent. Ashes, bone, 
i\iarl and salt composted in equal quantities would gen- 
erate heat you could not hold your hand in ; by turning 
it two or three times the bone would be completely 
decomposed, and was applied to any crop with benefit; 
the marl and salt supplied all moisture necessary. 

Dr. Hexamer stated, this one paper of Mr. Baker's 
alone was very valuable and had fully paid him for 
<:ominghere. In farming as in any applied natural 
science no definite rules could be laid down that all 
could rely on . It is a thing everyone has to decide for 
himself. On his soil ashes was one of the best fertil- 
izers. Does such heavy fertilizing pay? Mr. Baker 
has fully answered this question in the affirmative, in 
his case, when he states his receipts have increased 
from $1,700 to $7,000 a year; but it is hardly safe to 
give the fertilizers the full credit of this ; they have 
rendered it possible to grow the crops that his energy 
and management have disposed of with such profit. 

Mr. Roberts asked Mr. Baker if marl in his compost 
would not be better than muck ? 

Mr. Baker: Yes ; and now I would increase the 
potash and reduce the plaster, because the former was 
soluble and the latter was not. 

J. B. Rogers said. Prof. Clark, of Amherst, Mass., 
used fertilizers of quick action for strawberries ; one- 
half in Fall and one-half in Spring ; for peaches, one- 
half in Spring and one-half in midsummer. 

E. P. Beebe had tried muriate of potash on three 
acres, 500 lbs . to the acre for corn, and had about 75 
bushels per acre ; was very well satisfied ; he also finds 
it destructive of insect life. He dissolved it and 
washed fruit trees beneficially, but it did not do for 
strawberries. . 

Z. U. Matthews used nitrate of soda, costing $60 per 
ton, and found it profitable. 

Mr. Meech used kainit because he thought he got 
potash cheaper in that form than any other. 

One speaker deplored the loss of manure from leach- 
ing, and going down beyond the reach of plants ; 
another thought the loss upward was as great. 

Dr. Hexamer said the ammonia or grasses of manure 
only evaporated ; the soluble portions went down and 
the use of marl prevented any loss in that direction ; 
vet marl was of no use on some soils, his own for ins- 
tance. There was much to learn in the application of 
manures. They vary much in their composition. We 
must use more fertilizers and frequently. By using all 
the resources at our command he believed farming 
could be made the most profitable business going. 

W. F. Bassett had found his light soil much benefit- 
ed by long and continuous manuring. 

Mr. Minch asserted that the chief value of marl was 
in the phosphoric acid it contained. The potash in the 
green sand marl is insoluble. The Shiloh marl con- 
tains none. , , , ^ , 

A. H. Augur, said that ashes and bone composted 
with stable manure and plaster was considered a valu- 
able manure in Conneticut, and those who used it con- 
tinuously always had good crops. 



Transportation of Fruit. 



BY C. W. IDELL. 



The transportation of fruits is an important item of 
interest to the growers, particularly when the fruits 
are compelled to pass over several connecting lines in 
order to reach a market, for it is subjected to delays of 
a greater or less extent at each connecting point, and 
these delays are in turn repudiated by each line, so the 
receiver cannot decide which is to blame, or does it 
make much difference, for one can get no recompense 
for losses from either. ■ 



I believe the cause of these delays lies entirely in the 
want of interest in the matter by those vyhose business 
it is to attend to the trains on their arrival ; for, as you 
are aware, fruit is generally transported in the night 
when the tracks are clear of passenger trains, and the 
superintendents are absent from their offices, so the 
management of the fruit trains are left entirely with 
those running them ; and it is these persons who care 
nothing about the delays, for they lose nothing by 
them, or do their employers pay for their negligence, 
and I believe that if the facts regarding these delays 
could be ascertained, that in eighteen out of twenty 
cases it would be found that they were owing to the 
indifference of these officials. 

The only remedy for this evil that I can think of, is 
for the shippers to keep an agent at these connecting 
points to take the time of the arrival and departure of 
each train, and when delays do occur, for them to 
report at once to the president of the road, for it will 
do no good to report to any other. 

When you make an arrangement with a company 
for a reduction of freight on your fruit always insist 
upon the early arrival of the trains, and the immediate 
delivery of the fruit on arrival, instead of having the 
cars run in a section of the yard where the car men 
cannot get it, as is often done ; for late arrivals create 
a heavy loss in the value of the fruit. 

There is another great evil to be met and overcome 
in these companies. I refer to the uniform and persis- 
tent stealings by these officials, or with their knowl- 
edge and consent, of goods placed in their care. It 
seems to be the prevailing idea of the employees of 
these lines that they have a perfect right to open fruit 
packages and take from them such quantities as they 
may select, and strange as may seem to some, that 
when complaints have been made to those officers 
whose duty it was to prevent it, that either M<y were 
unable to cope with their employees, or else did not 
care if they did steal. This I know to be a fact, for 
during the past fruit season some thief or thieves 
would habitually open fruit packages consigned to me 
and steal a portion of their contents in spite of all the 
complaints I made to the superintendent of the freight 
department, and I am convinced that he did not care, 
for I believe that had he cared he could have put a 
stop to it, and if he tried and could not stop it, most 
certainly he was unfit for the position he held. 

In order to show you what effrontery and impudence 
some of these officials possess, I will state a personal 
experience with one of them. One morning I stood in 
the yard of a railroad company, waiting tor the arrival 
of a peach train. While it was passing I noticed that 
the door of a car consigned to me was wide open. I 
asked the conductor, who by the way was standing on 
the top of it, why he permitted persons to break open 
cars and steal the fruit while under his care ? He very 
coolly replied, " I don't care a damn if they steal every 
peach on the train, it's none of my business j I am only 
paid to run the cars in the yard." 

it is the indifference of these officials to the welfare 
of their patrons that has brought about the system of 
prepaying freight on fruit, for they know that the own- 
ers of the fruit often have a just claim on them for 
losses ; and were these lines to prosecute for the 
freight, a just offset could be made against them. So, 
determining that they will take no risk, they demand 
either a pre-oayment of the freight, or for the mer- 
chant to deposit a sum of money, ranging from $300 to 
$3,000, in their hands, without interest, until the fruit 
season is over, as a security for the collection of their 
demands on the receivers, at their place of business in 
New York. , , . , . . r. 

Fruit pays a high rate df freight, why ? Because it 
requires speed, care and prompt delivery. Now, as 
the shippers for these items, is it more than just that 
they should have them, and when a company fails to 
ffive them what they have paid for, should they not be 
made to pay for the losses sustained by the shippers 
through their neglect ? - ^i. 

If these companies were compelled to oay tor tnese 
losses as they occurred, we would seldom hear of a 
delayed train, or of a car being broken open and the 
contents stolen. ... „ 

There is another evil that I wish to call your atten- 
tion to, and that is the profession some of these com- 
panies make, to return the empty fruit packages fr^e 
of charge to the owners. 

Can any person, possessing common sense, who will 
stop and think, make themselves believe this to be 




true ? Permit me to ask such, why should they trans- 
port thousands of these packages for their owners free 
of cost? 

Oh, replies one, they can afford to do it, for they 
charge enough freight on the fruit when that is 
shipped. Yes, that is just the point ; the shippers are 
charged enough freight on the fruit when they ship it, 
yet these companies repudiate that fact when you wish 
the packages returned ; but do you ever think how 
many thousands of these that have this return freight 
paid on them, are never returned ? and that their own- 
ers are out of pocket all this sum ? 

As you are aware these companies refuse to give the 
merchants a receipt for the delivery of them to their 
care, or become liable for their safe delivery to their 
starting point, on the plea that they charge no freight 
on them, consequently they are reckless in regard to 
their delivery to their owners ; and the result of this 
carelessness is, that the returning of them by the mer- 
chant is always a fruitful source of dispute between 
the consignor and consignee. 

How much better it would be for all concerned if 
these lines would charge a just price for freight on the 
fruit when shipped — and no more : then when the 
empties are returned charge freight on them and give 
and take receipts the same as they do for all other arti- 
cles, then the merchant would have a voucher for his 
shipments, and the receiver would be compelled to 
give the roafl his ; so there would be an ending of the 
everlasting Jipputes and lawsuits for the nou-delivery 
of old ber''/ ciates and peach baskets, and the farmer 
would pay fre'ght only on those that he received . 



Pruning tlie A''ine. 



BY W. W. MEECH. 



Grape vines that have come to a bearing age may 
generally be pruned so scientifically as to make the 
prospective results very certain By examining vines 
while they are growing any one can very readily see 
from which buds of the previous year's growth have 
sprung the branches that are producing the fruit of the 
current year. This will serve as a guide to the prun- 
ing for the next crop, and so on from year to year 
Shoots from canes older than the last year very seldom 
produce anything but wood, but that wood is all right 
for a crop the next year. Shoots from the axillary 
buds where the old and new wood are joined will 
hardly ever produce fruit. The first bud beyond an 
axil will be found fruitful, but the clusters that grow 
from the hext bud, and for several further on, will 
generally bear the shouldered bunches of the crop. I 
have found that six buds on a strong cane, so selected, 
will generally yield three fine clusters each, and occa- 
sionally four. We may look for this number of clusters 
from the buds of very strong and vigorous canes of the 
last year's growth up to the capacity of the vines so 
pruned. Hence, according to the aumber of perfect 
clusters we estimate the vine capable of producing we 
can readily select those giving the best promise, and 
cut all the others off. 

This plan of pruning is scientific, and, while it 
greatly reduces the labor as compared with the old 
method of having spurs of one or two buds all over the 
vine, it as surely gives as good prospect of less wood 
and more grapes. 



RASPBERRY CULTURE. 



53 



RASPBERRY CULTURE. 



BY N. OHMER. 



BEFORE THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY HORTICUL- 
TURAL SOCIETY. 



Raspberries are attracting more attention 
at this particular time than ever before. 
Raspberries have always been appreciated 
more or less on account of filling in the 
place nicely between strawberries and 
blackberries. It is a fruit much admired 
by many, though never so popular as the 
strawberry. Up to within a few years 
there were but few varieties. The Red 
Antwerp, American, or common Black 
Cap, and Brinkle's Orange, were popular as 
far back as I can recollect. As much im- 
provement has been made in late years in 
the raspberry as in any other fruit. We 
are now not confined to three or four va- 
rieties, but varieties of distinguished merit 
can be counted by the dozens. I have 
grown the raspberry for market now 
twenty-six years, but never to the same ex- 
tent as at present. I now plant largely of 
them because I find their culture profitable. 
Any of you can do as well if you have suit- 
able soil, varieties, and understand the pro- 
per mode of culture. 

To grow raspberries successfully, you 
must select good soil, well underdrained ; 
let it be clay loam or sandy soil, but prefer 
upland clay loam. I have known them to 
do admirably in almost any soU, provided 
it is rich and not wet. Plow as you would 
for any other crop, the deeper the better if 
your soil admits of it. Harrow well ; plow 
out furrows six or seven feet apart, and 
plant in said rows three feet apart — a par- 
tial shade I find to advantage. My patches 
that do best are in an old orchard. 

BLACK RASPBERRIES 

are usually planted shallow, an inch or two 
deep. If it is your intention to tie up your 
canes that is deep enough, but if you wish 
them self-supporting you must plant them 
so that by after culture they will be at least 
three to four inches deep, otherwise they 
will not be self-supporting. By so planting 
and pinching back, as hereafter described, 
I never have trouble about my canes blow- 
ing, or falling down by the weight of fruit. 
The first year's growth I pinched back 
when eight to ten inches long. The second 
year and every year thereafter, I pinched 
back the tips of the growing shoots when 
from twenty inches to two feet high. They 
then cease to grow in height, but throw out 
laterals in all directions, balancing and 
supporting the main stem effectually. The 
following Spring, early in the season, I cut 
back all laterals with hand pruning shears, 
leaving them from one foot to two feet 
long, according to the number and strength 
of canes in the hiil. This operation is 



quickly done and inexpensive. After prun- 
ing, I gather and carry out and burn all 
the debria between the rows. I then culti- 
vate, first with a double shovel or barshear 
plow, then in time with a cultivator, as 
often as it is necessary to keep them clean, 
free from grass and weeds, up to August, 
after which I let them rest. It is not a 
good plan to cultivate too late in the sea- 
son ; you thereby cause them to grow too 
late to mature the wood sufficiently to with- 
stand the cold jf the Winter. I plow and 
cultivate them three or four inches deep. 
You need have no fear of injuring the roots 
by so cultivating. 

RED RASPBERRIES. 

I plant the same distance as black three 
by six feet. This takes 2,420 plants to the 
acre. I do not cut back the canes of red 
varieties (as I do the black) until the folio wing 
Spring, except strong growing varieties like 
the Turner, Shaffer's Colossal and others 
of like character. These I cut back during 
the season of growth, when about three 
feet high ; otherwise they may grow to 
seven or eight feet, as I have seen them 
grow, necessitating the cutting away of too 
much wood in the Spring. Treat suckers 
between the rows as you would weeds, un- 
less you want plants ; cut them out when 
young and tender. Sprouts, or suckers, are 
a great annoyance in growing red raspber- 
ries. If taken in time, they need scarce no 
care. Red raspberries, to do their best, 
must be kept in hills, same as black. This 
can be done by cutting away with a sharp 
hoe all sprouts, when young, between the 
hills in the rows, allowing from four to 
eight canes to the hill. Many growers al- 
low them to grow all along the rows, though 
not too thick. 

There is a difference of opinion among 
raspberry growers as to the best way to cut 
away the old or bearing canes. I have 
tried both methods, namely, leaving the old 
canes all Winter and cutting them in 
Spring, or cutting them as soon as I find 
time after fruiting, carrying out and burn- 
ing them. I am satisfied by adopting the 
latter method, I destroy many noxious in- 
sects, worms in various stages of hfe, that 
would live over Winter were I to practice 
the other system. It is argued that the leaf 
of the old cane has much to do in the growth 
of the canes that are to bear fruit the fol- 
lowing season. I take no stock in that 
opinion. If your plants are in good condi- 
tion there will be leaf enough on the young 
canes to mature them without the assist- 
ance of the leaf of the old canes, that have 
already performed their functions by ma- 
turing the crop of berries just gathered. 
Then, again, the old canes are certainly not 
ornamental. Having an eye for the beauti- 
ful as well as the useful, I get rid of them 
as soon as I can after the fruit has been 
gathered. 

For a long time I advocated and prac- 
ticed the tying up of canes, first to stakes 



54 



SETTING OUT PLANTS. 



then to an iron wire stretching along the 
rows fastened to posts every 25 to 30 feet. 
Either of the systems I found expensive, 
and slow work. It did well enough when I 
had but an acre or two, and did not know 
any better. But when I had many acres I 
found that it was not the thing to do, es- 
pecially so when I learned that stakes and 
wire were of no use, I might say entirely 
unnecessary. I cannot help but sympa- 
thize with those who are so far behind the 
times as to follow that system now. By 
adopting the pinching back process, at the 
proper time, I save the expense of stakes, 
or posts and wire, and the time necessary 
to tie the canes to them, and raise as many 
bushels of as nice berries per acre. 



Setting out Fruit in the Fall. 

One of the principal advantages in setting 
out fruit in the fall is that there is more 
leisure, and the work can be done better 
without interfering too much with other 
work. Spring work is always pressing, and 
it is often difficult to get the soil in a suit- 
able condition and find time to properly set 
out the trees. You cannot expect the best 
Tesults with fruit of any kind unless you 
are willing to take considerable pains to 
properly take care of it. 

After having selected the soil or plot it 
should be well plowed in the fall ; plow 
deep and well ; if the soil is rich no manure 
is necessary, but if it is not it will be econ- 
omy to make it so from the start by giving 
a good application of well rotted stable 
manure, and work thoroughly into the soil. 
I am aware that the old custom ivas to dig 
a hole for the tree and put the manure in 
this, but experience has shown that the 
feeding roots soon get beyond this and fail 
to receive as much benefit as they should. 
Surface manure well worked into the soil 
furnishes the food in the best condition for 
the largest number of feeding roots to reach 
and be benefited by it. Make out some 
time ahead a list of what you want ; get 
good varieties, and do not let a mistaken 
notion of economy induce you to select 
poor varieties simply because they cost a 
few cents less on the tree. Good trees of 
good varieties cannot be raised for nothing 
and it alway pays to give a little more and 
get the best. 

Secure a selection that will give you fruit 
all the year around. This can be done if 
you are careful in selecting" your varieties 
of fruit. There are so many claimants for 
the best, and such close competition among 
dealers, that it would hardly be proper in a 
newspaper article to give a list of what we 
might consider the best ; then again, what 
we might consider the best in this section 
and in one kind of soil, would not pass as 
among the best in another section on a 
different soil. Hence in securing a variety 
it is best to have some knowledge of what 



has done the best in your immediate neigh- 
borhood, if possible. 

Do not set your trees too thick — thirty 
feet each way is plenty close for apples, 
and sixteen by twenty for peaches, chen'ies, 
crabs, apricots and quinces. It does not 
pay to crowd too closely. In setting out 
take some pains to have the trees in as 
straight a line as possible. The best device 
to aid in doing this -work in the easiest way 
is to have a board six inches wide, one 
inch thick and four feet long. Cut a 
notch in the center, and equal distance 
from this in each end bore a good sized 
hole; have two pins that will fit these holes, 
easily reach into the ground deep enough 
to hold it steady. Mark off the places 
where the trees are to stand, put the notch 
exactly where the tree is to stand, fasten 
with one pin and turn the plank around 
out of the way, dig the hole the proper 
depth and put in the tree, bring back the 
plank and fasten in the original holes, put 
the tree in the notch and you will make 
no mistake or get the tree out of line. 

In setting out the trees do not set too 
deep. There is as much danger, of smoth- 
ering a tree by setting too deep as of injur- 
ing the roots by setting too shallow. My 
plan is always to set in as deep as the tree 
stood in the nursery. If the roots are in 
any way dry wet them thoroughly before 
setting out ; take pains to spread out the 
roots as evenly as possible. In filling up 
the hole see that the space between the 
roots is well filled with soil ; have the soil 
rather hollowing about the stem so as to 
retain moisture. Later on, before severe 
cold weather comes on, mulch well around 
the roots. I have also found that it pays, 
when setting out trees in the fall, to wrap 
well with old rags or tarred ■ paper to keep 
off the rabbits and mice ; they seem to 
especially like the bark of the young, newly- 
set trees, and by doing this work ahead 
much vexation may be saved. Cut back 
the tops of the trees well before setting out. 
To many this looks like considerable work, 
but if it is it will prove profitable work, far 
more so than to perform the work carelessly 
and leave the trees and year work, besides 
a year's loss in obtaining a supply of fruit ; 
all things considered, it pays to take pains 
to do the work well at the start. 
N. J. Shepherd, 

In City and Country. 



Lakgb Crops of Strawberries.— Mr. 
Hale, who has large experience in raising 
strawberries, says that right methods of 
culture will bring from 400 to 500 bushels 
of strawberries to the acre in a single sea- 
son, the requisites for success being a 
thorough preparation of the soil to start 
with, thorough draining, naturally or arti- 
fically, deep plowing and subsoiling, per- 
fect mellowing, and liberal manuring. Pro- 
ductive sorts are of course all-essential. 



RAISING SMALL FRUITS. 



55 



Raising Small Fruits. 



" The frost and the drouth of the present 
season may lead some of us who are en- 
gaged in small fruit culture to look on the 
dark side, and to feel that we had more to 
contend with than any other class ; and in 
view of this state of things perhaps it would 
be well to re-count some of the advantages 
of our occupation,"' says Mr. Crawford, in a 
paper read before TrumbuU County Horti- 
cultural Society. "By so doing we may 
possibly find that we have more to encour- 
age than we ever before thought of, even 
when^ things were most prosperous. It is 
natural for us to magnify our difficulties 
and drawbacks, and forget our advantages. 
Let us now reverse this order, and for the 
time being put aside all our discourage- 
ments, and consider some of the reasons 
why we should congratulate ourselves that 
we are fruit growers. 

"It is a business that benefits all classes 
and injures none. It is almost the only 
business in which a poor man can engage 
and be his own employer. Fruit growers 
are comparatively independent ; they are 
not liable 'to be thrown out of employment. 
If sickness hinders for a time, their crops 
do not cease growing. If friends come to 
visit, they can take a little time without 
having to give an account of it, or deduct 
the price from the few doUars due them at 
the end of the week or month. It is worth 
much to a man to be employed at home, to 
spend his days with his family rather than 
in some mill or shop or factory. Those 
who have children may justly consider it a 
great advantage to be able to employ them 
during the Summer vacation, when so many 
children are running w^ild, and laying the 
foundation of bad habits which cling to 
them for life. 

* ' Fruit growers have more leisure than 
most working people. In the Winter they 
can take time to plan for the next season, 
and get everything ready for w^ork. They 
can attend important horticultural meet- 
ings, doing good and getting good ; and 
just here is a point worth noticing. Fruit 
growers have no secrets ; the proceedings 
of their meetings are published to the 
world. They have originated many im- 
proved methods, but they do not guard 
their knowledge with a high board fence 
and locked gates, least others should profit 
by it. On the contrary they gladly give to 
their feUow men the benefits of their 
thoughts and experiences. They adopt the 
generous motto ' My light is none the less 
for lighting my neighbor's,' and act upon 
it. While they meet more frequently than 
any other class of working people, they 
come together for a nobler purpose than to 
connive to monopolize all the advantages 
their business may possess. There is no 
monopoly in this, as in many other pur- 
suits. The man with a single acre, or even 



a village lot, can engage in small fruit cul- 
ture, and is quite likely to reahze better re- 
turns for the amount invested than one 
with a hundred times as much. 

" As fruit growers have a general knowl- 
edge of horticulture, they can do more to 
make home beautiful than any other class 
in moderate circumstances ; and for the 
same reason they and their families have a 
more liberal supply of the good things pro- 
duced by the soil than other people. Fruit 
growers are intelligent ; they do more read- 
ing, writing and thinking, and cause more 
printer's ink to flow than any other class of 
working people. Fruit growers are inde- 
pendant ; they have neither asked or re- 
ceived any special privileges ; no protective 
tariff, no bounties, no remission of taxes, no 
favors of any kind have been bestowed on 
them, and no other industry has been taxed 
to make theirs profitable. Notwithstanding 
all this the business has had a wonderful 
growth, and it never was in a more healthy 
condition than at the present tirae. Every- 
one is interested in it, directly or indi- 
rectly, and the number actually en- 
gaged in it is amazing. It is easy to see 
that, large as the business is, it will for 
several reasons go on increasing. The de- 
m^and is increasing, and the supply so per- 
ishable that the market cannot be over- 
stocked for any length of time, however 
many engage in it. But little capital is re- 
quired to commence the business. It is not 
necessary to buy the land, and if it were, a 
little is sufficient. No expensive imple- 
ments are needed, and the returns come so 
speedily that the capital invested does not 
He idle long. This is very different from 
being in debt half a life-time for a farm and 
the tools and stock absolutely necessary to 
make it profitable. 

" Fruit growing does not require a great 
outlay of physical strength, as there is but 
little hard work connected with it ; and for 
this reason it is a suitable occupation for 
those who are not able to engage in farm- 
ing, market gardening, or any employment 
which involves much hard work. Old men, 
invalids and children may spend their little 
strength in fruit growing, and be success- 
ful. It is preeminently a business for 
women. There is scarcely any other work 
in which they can engage with as good a 
prospect of making money. It requires no 
great amount of time and study to prepare 
for it, and after getting established in it one 
is not liable to receive from some captious 
employer an invitation to step down and 
out. Ladies are our most successful florists, 
and they can do equally well raising small 
fruits. 

" But though small fruit culture offers so 
many inducement to those who mediate 
embarking in it, it would be unwise for 
anyone to engage in it on a large scale with- 
out some practical knowledge of the work, 
no matter how fine and well digested his 
theories may be. 



56 



WATERING TREES. 



" Small fruit plants are set out for a 
special work — that is to send their roots 
through every inch of the soil in search of 
plant food, and, having found it, to change 
it into fruit. Our part is to prepare the 
soil, set out the plants and see that they 
liave the best possible opportunity to do 
their vpork. Last of all we secure the crop. 
Plant food, to be available, must be dis- 
solved in water, and within reach of the 
roots. For this reason we pulverize the soil 
to a good depth and endeavor to keep it 
moist, so that the roots may readily extend 
in every direction. That the plane may 
work to the best possible advantage, the 
soil should contain an abundance of food 
for it. To provide this food we enrich the 
soil. Plants or animals may live with very 
little nourishment, just enough to prevent 
their dying, but they are kept at a loss to 
the owner. Who would think of employ- 
ing a man and keeping him idle most of 
the time for want of proper food and ma- 
terials? When you hire a bricklayer at $4 
per day you employ a cheaper man to carry 
the brick and mortar. Of course the brick- 
layer could do it just as well, but you do 
not want his valuable time spent in that 
way. So when you employ a strawberry 
plant to make fruit you should see that the 
raw material is put within its reach. Spend- 
ing valuable time and labor in cultivating 
poor land is one of the most serious mis- 
takes ever made by tillers of the soil. After 
preparing the soil and setting out the plants 
we must see that they are kept growing 
without hinderance of any kind. All our 
small fruits, except the grape, do best in a 
comparatively cool moist soil, and in a situ- 
ation that is somewhat sheltered and not 
exposed to the full glare of the sun. Plants 
are hindered in their growth in vai'ious ways 
as by weeds, drouth, and want of air at the 
roots. Allowing weeds to grow among our 
plants to rob them of food and moisture, is 
almost as unwise as cultivating poor soil. 
One would scarcely expect a manufacturer 
to erect a building, fill it with tools and 
material, hire his employes, and then in- 
vite all the loafers in the community to come 
and use his material for their own selfish 
ends, and yet this would be just about as 
wise as allowing weeds in growing crops. 
While we cannot produce rain at will, we 
can to a great extent, by frequent stirring 
of the surface and by mulching, prevent 
the evaporation of moisture from the soil, 
this same stirring keeps the surface loose 
and admits air to the roots. After having 
grown the crops, final success depends very 
much on the manner in which it is picked 
and marketed. This is especially true of 
strawberries, which are often sent to mar- 
ket with such an unattractive appeai-ance 
that they yield no profit to the grower, and 
very little pleasure to the consumer. Small 
fruits should bo carefully picked, and all 
damaged or worthless berries left out. They 
should be sent to market in clean baskets or 



boxes, and each of these should contain ber- 
ries of a uniform size from top to bottom. 

" No part of fruit culture is of more im- 
portance than a knowledge of varieties, and 
tills must be learned, in part, by each one 
for himself. A person with little or no ex- 
perience should commence in a small way, 
and confine himself mainly to such varieties 
as are known to do well in all soils and lo- 
calities. If everyone would 'prove all 
things and hold fast that which is good ' 
nurserymen would receive fewer curses and 
fruit growers more money. As a rule, 
every one should raise his own plants, ex- 
cept new varieties which he wishes to test. 
In this way he is sure to have plants fresh, 
well grown and tme to name, besides sav- 
ing heavy express charges. 

"When we consider the healthfulness of 
the work, that it is carried on in the open 
air, that it furnishes an agreeable exercise 
for both mind and body, and that success is 
in exact proportion to the brain work in- 
vested, it is not strange that so many en- 
gage in it." Mathew Crawford. 



Watering ^Newly Set Trees. 



That newly planted trees in certain un- 
favorable seasons and certain conditions of 
soil do occasionally require watering will 
not be denied, but the cases are so rare 
that they are scarcely to be taken into ac- 
count. A tree properly planted, with the 
soil in the right condition, immediately goes 
to replace roots which had been severed in 
removal. The earth grows warmer every 
day, and the young rootlets feel the influ- 
ence of this heat, and new fibers immedi- 
ately break from them, as may be seen by 
examination twenty-four hours after plant- 
ing. The soil has probably a temperature 
of 60 ° or 65 ° , and perhaps more, but just 
as all is going well enough, along comes the 
planter with a pot of cold water, w^hich he 
dashes around the tree, chilling the earth, 
and, indeed, often kilfing the young fibers. 
Trees can stand a great deal, or twice as 
many would never survive. The tree leaves 
out with the great heat of the sun upon the 
soil, and again the fibers begin to put out ; 
once more comes the shower-bath, often a 
third time, and if the tree does not die it is 
in spite of the planter. 

It is rare that a tree planted very early 
ever needs any water ; certainly only in a 
very dry soil, and it should then be given at 
the time of planting. But later in the sea- 
son, when the sun's rays are more powerful 
and evaporation more rapid, possibly one or 
at most,two waterings are all any tree needs. 
If the planter has nothing to do, and wishes 
to show his affection for his trees, he can 
safely take the syringe, or even a fine rose 
water pot, and moisten the whole top of the 
trees, which will do far move good than to 
drown the roots. — Canadian Farmer. 



GOOD EXAMPLES. 



57 



Shall we Plant Pears ? 

B. F. J. 

To this question I answer j-es, certainly ; 
but with certain limitations as to soil and 
situation. To be sure thera is danger to be 
apprehended from bacteria, and the resul- 
tant pear blight, but much less than most 
people think ; for familiarity with these 
creatures, infinitesimally little, is breeding 
a wholesome measure of contempt . 

For middle latitudes, there is no fruit 
tree hardier, longer lived, or more produc 
tive than the pear, and as for merit as a 
fruit it is second only in excellence to the 
peach, with the advantage of being a longer 
keeper, improving with age. But to suc- 
ceed with the pear, certain essentials must 
be attended to, which restrict and limit its 
areas of cultivation to gardens and grounds. 
This grows out of its relatively small root 
development as compared with the apple, 
and demands for it a soil which is not only 
rich in mineral elements of plant food, but 
a situation where, while the soil is neither 
cold nor wet, there is moisture enough in it 
to make the solutions on which the roots 
feed. 

From these peculiarities arise the limita- 
tions which confine the successful cultiva- 
tion of the pear on a large scale to a very 
few soils, while at the same time they ac- 
count for its health and f ruitfulness within 
the limited area of city lots, town gardens 
and grounds. In the latter the ashes from 
the stoves and hearths, the water and waste 
from the kitchen, furnish just these mate- 
rials of mineral food the large demands the 
pear roots make on the soil, and the conse- 
quence is it is hardy and fruitful under such 
surroundings, and is taking the place of the 
apple, peach, and plum, and threatening the 
popularity of the grape. To be siu-e the 
pear was a partial failure last year, even 
under the conditions named, but this was 
the first time for a dozen years, and arose 
from exceptional causes which are not likely 
to appear again for a generation. 

As for varieties, the choice is limited, 
there being not more than a half dozen good 
ones to safely choose from. These are: first, 
the Tyson, early, small and sweet ; second, 
the Bartlett, the one great pear, beside 
which all others are a mere cypher ; and 
third, the Duchess, which is very large, 
very prolific, and very good for show and 
preserves, but for little else. If anybody 
wants to try the Kieffer, let him by all 
means, but don't try more than one or two, 
for the good and sufiicient reason that com- 
pared with a Bartlett, it is no better than a 
common, soirr seedling apple measured by 
Baldwin or a Northern Spy. 

To those who in towns or cities have a 
few spare feet of soil, more or less free air 
and sunshine space, I heartily recommend 
the planting of a pear tree or two (on their 
own roots, mind you ; never on quince), 



confident that nothing in the fruit tree line 
will afford more satisfaction. 



A Model Fruit House. 



A Pennsylvania man with a fancy for 
fruit farming, has built himself a retarding 
house for fruit, which cost $5,000, and 
which the Philadelphia Press descrilies as 
follows : 

" To economize space it is built square, 
fifty feet each way. It has two walls of 
stone, each twenty-two inches thick, with 
an open space between of twelve inches, 
and this space filled in with charcoal, as a 
non-conductor of heat. Inside of the in- 
side wall the ice is piled four feet thick, 
maintained in its place by studding and 
boards. Below the fioor is another four 
feet of ice resting on a foot of charcoal, and 
above the room the ice is eleven feet thick, 
with thi-ee inches of wood above that ; and 
when he builds another (if he ever does) he 
will make the ice fifteen feet thick above and 
six feet at the sides . Still this one works well; 
it never freezes in Winter, nor does it waste 
ice rapidly in Summer. The temperature 
is always from thirty-three to thirty-seven 
degrees. Of course there are no windows, 
and it is a real dungeon . There are inside 
and outside doors made something like safe 
doors, and as nearly air tight as possible. 
If one should happen to get shut in, it 
would not be easy to get an alarm to the 
outer world. The melting ice from above 
is conducted down below the under floor in 
pipes and discharged where it will do the 
least harm. It takes from 1,000 to 1,200 
tons of ice to fill this house, and it is sup- 
plied from an artificial pond on the place. 
The cost of filling is estimated at about fif- 
teen cents per ton. 



Profit in Kaspberries. 

Mr. E. Van Allen of Albany County, JST. 
Y., writes as follows to the New England 
Homestead : 

Two thousand Cuthbert raspberry plants 
were set in the fall of 1881, in rows five 
feet apart in the rows. The soil was a rich 
loam. In the spring the plants started 
early and grew right along, so that by fall 
the plantation had the appearance of a 
two years' growth. The young plants were 
pinched back when they had attained a 
growth of two ^eet, and in the rows be- 
tween the plants a good crop of cabbage 
was grown. The plantation was well cul- 
tivated throughout the season of 1883 and 
not a weed allowed to grow. Now for the 
results : The past season there was picked 
and sold from the plantation of a little 
less than an acre, 100 bushels of fruit that 
sold for 13 cents per quart, net; or in round 
numbers, $384 worth of berries. In addi- 
tion to this, 48,000 plants have been dug 
from the patch this Fall and sold to one 



58 



HINTS TO EVAPORATORS, 



nurseryman for $3 per thousand, amounting 
to $144. Enough plants were kept to set 
two acres, and the prospects for an immense 
fruit yield, next season is good. 

-♦•♦ 

Underffroimd Irrisration. 



Where water is scarce, as in some of the 
extreme southern counties, or where there 
is more good land than can be well irriga- 
ted from the streams by surface irrigation, 
a. system of underground irrigation has 
been adopted. It should perhaps be ex- 
plained, for the benefit of those who have 
always lived in a wet country, that when 
water is run over the soil under a very dry 
atmosphere and a cloudless sky, evapora- 
tion is very great ; so great, indeed, that 
when water is scarce it becomes an object 
to prevent this evaporation, and thus se- 
cure all the benefit of all the water for the 
use of the growing crop . 

To meet this w^ant an underground system 
of irrigation by perforated pipes has been 
invented and put in use, and is proving of 
immense benefit. The pipe is now gener- 
ally made of concrete. The ditches are 
dug, say, fifteen to twenty feet apart over 
the field, or in the middle of the space 
between the rows of trees in an orchard, 
and by a machine having a feeding hopper, 
the concrete, ready mixed, is fed into the 
hopper, and the machine converts it into 
the required size pipe, and at the same time 
moves along in the ditch, leaving the pipe 
behind it. The same machinery perfo- 
rates the pipe, so that the water is let out 
of it in quantities required. The pipe 
being from one and one-half to three feet 
below the surface, the water is applied that 
depth down, and all loss by evaporation is 
thus prevented. 



Hints to Evaporators. 



Those evaporators who cram their goods 
into greasy sacks, or press and stamp them 
into dirty boot boxes or wormy cracker 
barrels, must not be disappointed if dis- 
criminating purchasers fail to appreciate 
their economy and blissful ignorance. But, 
as all grain-growers cannot become millers, 
neither can all fruit-growers become evap- 
orators, but such as do, should endeavor to 
become the best, and make the best pro- 
ducts, and obtain the best prices, to do 
which, they must first learjj. how, and, as 
the necessary information will not probably 
come to them by revelation, they had Ibet- 
ter come to the meeting of our association, 
and learn from the accumulated experience 
of others, wherein they have failed, and 
how they have succeeded, instead of grop- 
ing or blundering on their way by costly 
experience and loss of time, to obtain the 
best results. They can learn at our meet- 
ings in a few days' time, and at small ex- 
pense, what will otherwise cost them, much 



time, labor and money. And let not those 
of most experience suppose that they know 
it all, for there is a wide fieli before them 
for improvement. There was much discus- 
sion in regard to what variety of apples 
made the best evaporated product. The 
Rhode Island Greening, Baldwin, Smith's 
Cider, Missouri Pippin, Maiden's Blush, 
Huntsman's Favorite, Roxbury Russet and 
Jonathan were all recommended for mak- 
ing evaporated fruit of excellent fiavor, 
and fair color. The Ben Davis was said to 
make the whitest fruit of any, but is not 
sour enough and lacks flavor, and does not 
sell well to the largest dealers and best 
judges. 

The following resolution was adopted by 
a large vote ; 

"Resolved, That it is the sense of this 
Association that the extensive planting of 
Ben Davis to the exclusion of other varie- 
ties more valuable for evaporating purposes, 
is against the present and future interests, 
both of fruit-growers and fruit evaporators, 
and we recommend to orchardists early and 
late varieties of a decided acid flavor." 

How to Anchor the Boys. 

Editor Green's Fruit Grower : — Many 
suggestions are given to farmers about an- 
choring the boys on the farm, but none 
seems to fit the case better than the direc- 
tion to give him some share in the profits. 
Something that he may call his own, and 
which he can improve by industry. Some- 
times the " bent " may be very pronounced 
but ordinarily it is what you make it. It is 
easy to interest the little boy in small fruit 
culture, or in the care of young stock, 
whose growth he watches with keen inter- 
est because the proceeds are to be his very 
own. As you value your good name with 
your boy, deal as uprightly with him as 
you would with your neighbors' son. ' "Don't 
let it be "boy's calf, but father's cow." 
When he has gained some money by hard 
work and the means you have given him to 
use for himself, don't say to him as another 
father did : " Dan, you may lend me that 
money and I will give you my note for it." 
The money was handed over anost reluct- 
antly, and that was the last the boy ever 
saw of it. That youth concluded to quit 
farm life at the earliest day he could. 

Two boys I knew, had by the hardest 
earned money, selling apples about the vil- 
lage from a bag carried on an old horse's 
back, bought a calf. It grew well and was 
watched and tended with pride, and there 
were various calculations over the way the 
money should be invested. But one day a 
cattle dealer came along, and their pet was 
sold with the rest of the young cattle ; and 
one of these boys remembered w^hen he was 
gray-bearded, that they never saw any- 
thing of the money. 

Very differently did another farmer man- 
age. He gave his boy, ^y acre on the 



FORMS OF TREES. 



5& 



farm he would pick out, with leave to use 
all the fertilizers he pleased, and various 
other facilities for making his small farm a 
success. The boy chose to set it in small 
fruits, for which there was a good market, 
and every year saw him more of an enthu- 
siast in this culture, and very soon they 
brought him in most handsome return. 
City life had no charms for that youth as 
he grew up. 

There is a delight in watching the growth 
of trees and plants of one's own setting, 
that is of a most elevating, refining charac- 
ter. It is a foil to many if the temptations 
of life, which are to be formed in the coun- 
try as well as in the city. A good paper on 
the subject, and a personal interest in the 
culture will cause an intelligent lad to take 
hold of it with vigor, and will invest coun- 
try life with a new charm. No wonder 
Oliver "Wendell Holmes said that the best 
poems he had made were the trees he had 
planted along the winding river. Would 
that every " waste place" about our farm- 
er's homes might this year be planted with 
a vine or a bush or a tree. What a change 
it would make in the face of the landscape, 
and in the lives of the dwellers in these 
homes. J. E. McC. 



Forms of Trees. 



It should be borne in mind that fruit 
trees are not planted for ornament, and all 
beauty in the tree must be secondary to an 
abundance of good fruit. An attempt to 
shape all the trees of an orchard alike must 
necessarily fail. The "inverted umbrella " 
and ' ' open um shape " recommended for 
apple trees cannot be had in practice. It is 
a mistaken notion to suppose that fruit on 
such trees gets more light than those coni- 
cal in shape. More surface is exposed to 
sunUght on a conical tree than on a flat- 
topped or hollow-topped specimen. Per- 
haps the majority of varieties cannot be 
made to assume the obconical or inverted 
umbrella from, or at least they do not re- 
tain it when old. Strive to make the trees 
in an orchard as nearly symmetrical in 
shape as possible, but do not undertake to 
make a tree assume a form contrary to its 
habit of growth. The person who prunes 
all trees after one model must make a botch 
of his orchard. Having decided upon the 
height at which the top is to be started — 
and even this may vary in different varie- 
ties — the important points are : — 1 . Secure 
an opening at the base of the head large 
enough to admit comfortably a man and 
basket. 2. Keep the top moderately and 
evenly thinned of small limbs. 3. Do 
not run the limbs up long and slender, with 
no side branches. 4. If in a, windy region 
prune heaviest on the side opposite the 
prevailing winds. In most cases I have 
seen ill results follow the cutting out of 
the center of tre^. More light and air are 
usually needed on the lower branches than 



on the interior ones. It is not necessary to 
read a treatise on pruning before one can 
prune an orchard properly. The most suc- 
cessful apple growers I have known are 
those who started the top moderately high, 
let the tree take its natural form — unless in 
exceptional cases of an ill-formed tree — and 
who thinned out the small branches evenly 
each year. This simplifies the process and 
renders it more useful. — American Culti- 
vator. 



Reclaimmg' a Waste. 



Editor Geeen's Fruit Grower :— If the 
fairy w^ho made "transformations" had 
moved Mrs. Holmes' back door-yard around 
to the front of the house some moonshiny 
night, it would have made a stir in the 
morning. Such a flutter and hurry as all 
would have been in, to rake up the old bar- 
rel hoops and pick up the rusty tins before 
passers-by began to take observation. 

It was a very neglected spot and Cousin 
Horace's aesthetic taste was a good deal 
shocked by it, when he came down for a 
visit. But he was a prudent young man 
and always thought a good deal more than 
he said. I presume that was one reason he 
was accounted so "deep." 

He laid a little trap for Cousin Maria and 
Rufus that worked well, and helped clean 
up the yard without any fault being found. 
He "took them by guile," as it were. 

' ' That's a nice rich bit of ground of yours, 
Maria, just back of the wood-house ; I won- 
der you do not improve it by putting in a 
grape-vine or two. They w^ould run all 
over the shed and you might have a snug 
little arbor there for the children to play in 
out of the sun." 

It was a new idea that such a rubbish 
corner could be beautiful and made useful, 
and all adopted the plan with enthusiasm. 
Horace agreed to make the girls a present 
of the vines and a beautiful row of currant 
bushes along the fence, if they would prom- 
ise to attend them well in remembrance of 
him, when he was over the sea. 

With a good deal of blushing and giggling 
the promise was given, and all hands set to 
work to "clear up." That day he drove 
over to the nursery for the ' ' sets. " 

" What a perfect sight this yard is ! " said 
Jane ; " I had no idea it looked so horrid. 
All those old dishes and those old battered 
basins and burdock stalks. What must 
Horace have thought of it ! Let's slick up 
before he gets back if we possibly can." 

Two able-bodied girls and a spry, little 
boy soon put a different face on the land- 
scape, and by the time Horace was ready to 
dig it looked like a new place. He went 
about as unconcerned as if it had always 
been cleared up, and before he left built a 
cosy, little arbor, with a pretty rustic seat 
in it, just where the worst rubbish heap had 
accumulated. 

"There Em., you can sit there and read 



60 



ABOUT FERTILIZERS. 



my letters \\hen I am gone, and mother 
can darn her stockings here all summer. 
You'll say in a year or two that this is bet- 
ter than the parlor." And it was in time 
the pleasantest room they had. There is no 
way to reclaim ' ' a wastb " better than set- 
ting a fine plant there. J. E. Mo Go 

♦•♦ 

Farm-Yard Manure. 



From Dr. Voelker's lengthy reports, the 
following important and thoroughly relia- 
ble information has been compiled : 

1. The soluble parts of manure are much 
the most valuable, therefore it is important 
to save the urine, and to keep the manure 
protected from the rain. Manure thrown 
out and exposed to rain becomes just as 
worthless as wood ashes thus exposed. 

2. Farm-yard manure, in its fresh state, 
contains soluable phosphates of lime, insol- 
uable nitrogen, and but a small proportion 
of free ammonia. 

3. The urine of horses, cows and hogs 
does not contain any considerable amount 
of phosphate of lime, but this is largely 
contained in the drainage of dung heaps, 
which are more valuable than urme. 

4. The most effectual manner of prevent- 
ing loss in fertilizing matter, when not com- 
posted, is to cast the manure directly on the 
field, whenever circumstances will permit. 
On all soils with a moderate proportion of 
clay, there is no waste if the manure is not 
ploughed in at once. Indeed, it is main- 
tained by some that it is the best to permit 
manure to lie on the surface and allow the 
rain to wash it into the soil. In the case of 
dry soils it may be evenly spread and al- 
lowed to remain for months without appre- 
ciable loss ; but, on light, sandy soils, it is 
best to manure with well fermented dung 
shortly before the crop is put in. 

Well rotted dung contains a very much 
larger proportion of soluable organic and 
saline mineral matters than fresh manure. 
It is also richer in nitrogen, and, weight 
for weight, is more A^aluable. 

6. During fermentation dung gives off 
organic matter in a gaseous form ; but if 
properly handled there is no great loss of 
nitrogen. Organic acids are always formed 
and gypsum is developed. These fix, or 
hold, the ammonia as fast as it is generated. 
"While fermenting, the phosphate of lime 
which it contains is much more soluble 
than when the manure is fresh. Ammonia 
is given off in the interior of the ferment- 
ing heap, but is arrested by the organic 
acids, and the gypsum in the colder exter- 
nal layers. Turning heaps over, therefore, 
occasions loss, though some think other- 
wise. 



Wood Ashes for Orchards. 



barnyard manure, ton for ton. When barn- 
yard manure is composted with wood ashes, 
the coarse vegetable material and litter are 
rapidly broken down, and the maniu-e is 
speedily fitted for use ; there is some loss 
of nitrogen in the form of ammonia, but 
there will be no loss of minerals matter if 
kept from leaching by water. 

Wood ashes represent all the mineral ele- 
ments of vegetable growth, and contain 
everything the farmer must give his crops 
except combined nitrogen. Wood ashes 
will vary in composition and value with the 
kind of wood and the part of the tree. I 
will take the ash of the body- wood of the 
Beech-tree as representing the average of 
wood ashes. A ton of such ashes contains 
320 pounds of potash, worth $16, and 105 
pounds of phosphoric acid (insoluble), worth 
$5 25. Omitting all the other ash consti- 
tuents, which have some value of them- 
selves, the potash and phosphoric acid of a 
ton. of such ashes are worth $21 .25, or nearly 
six times the value of a ton of fresh horse- 
dung. 



Stra"wherry Worm. 

The time is now approaching when the 
fly of the strawberry worm may be seen 
flying about the vines of the strawberry. 
Along the last of May it makes its appear- 
ance, and may be known by its pitch black 
color, oval abdomen and two rows of dull, 
white lines. The female will puncture the 
stem and lay her eggs m the puncture, and 
in about two weeks the eggs Mali hatch, and 
small holes eaten in the leaves will be the 
means of discovering the ■vs^orm. The 
worms are of a dirty yellow and a gray- 
green color, the head being darker than the 
body , The worm has twenty-two legs, and 
when fully grown is about three-quarters of 
an inch long. When not feeding it is curled 
up in spiral form on the under side of the 
leaf, and if disturbed will fall to the ground. 
They moult four times before reaching ma- 
turity. The remedy is Paris green or hele- 
bore, dry or dissolved in water, but these 
poisons must not be used after the fruit has 
set. — Wester I Rural. 



For orchards, says Dr. R. C. Kedzie, in 
the New York Tribune, I regard ashes as 
worth more than six times the value of 



A man near here is growing rare flower- 
ing bulbs . In preparing his beds he exca- 
vates three to four feet deep, forming a 
cellar like opening. He then sifts the earth 
he replaces in this excavation, and mixes it 
well with muck, leaf mould, sand and 
manure. This forms a bed so loose he can 
thrust his arm in it the full length, any 
time. He says it is wonderful how much 
rubbish he sifts out of the earth. We have 
an idea that Mr. Durand grows his seedling 
strawberries on soil prepared something 
like this, but not so thoroughly, and as they 
do not get such soil away from home, his 
seedlings often disappoint those who have 
great expectations from them. 



EVAPORATING HINTS. 



61 



Evaporating Fruit, 



BY SCHUYLER & HADDUCK. 



Management of factories, this year, will 
need be very economical, and none but real 
choice fruit should be manufactured, if any 
money is to be made. Apples, also, will 
have to be bought very low. The absurdity 
of paying 45 to 60c., or more, for green ap- 
ples, as last year, has been demonstrated by 
factory losses incuiTed. Ten to twenty 
cents, as the apple crop now promises, will 
certainly be aU that the prospects will 
justify. Fruit must be well cored and 
trimmed, and properly dried and bleached 
white, and nicely packed in 50 pound boxes, 
to sell to advantage. Boxes should be well 
faced with best of average, and paper 
should be put on both bottom and top of 
boxes. Wax paper with fly paper on edges, 
is neatest for top. There is no use sending 
wet apples to market — those that have been 
sprinkled or only two-thirds dried — as the 
maker will lose by the operation. A lot of 
four car loads from one factory sent to this 
market this season have sold at 2c. ofl:, 
merely from being insufficiently dried. 
They would have ranked as fancy if 
properly dried. Punch cored apples also 
sell at ic. or more less than ring-cut. Any- 
one having machines that only peel and 
core solid, can improve their product by 
having trimmer pass through one side of 
apple before it is sliced. Apples put up in 
5 lb. and 2 lb. pasteboard packages, except 
for a limited special trade, are not called 
for, and do not now sell to advantage. 
This package trade, which was at one time 
large and popular, has been killed by un- 
scrupulous packing and genuine fraud. 
Such packages should only contain very 
choice and fancy fruit ; and did so at first, 
so that 2 and 5 lb. packages were synony- 
mous with highest grade stock. Some 
smart Alecks here and in New York com- 
menced putting up inferior stock in pack- 
ages, so as to undersell competitors. They 
liiept putting up poorer and poorer stock, 
till the only apparent object of the pack- 
ages seemed to be to cover up the miserable 
quality of the fruit. The public at last de- 
clined to buy the swindling packages 
longer, and this style of packing is not 
now wanted. A good trade probably could 
be revived in packages by a return to 
strictly fancy stock. In fact the whole 
evaporated apple trade has been badly 
damaged and demoralized the past few 
years by the large amount of trash and 
miserably manufactured stock offered on 
the market. Evaporated and sun-dried are 
losing their widely distinctive characters — 
some dealers going so far as to say that nice 
sun-dried is getting to be in fact preferable 
to average evaporated. Evaporated apples 
can only maintain their popularity, and a 
remunerative price, by making them high 
grade. 



The details of factory management 
should all be very thoroughly and persist- 
ently looked after by an efficient superin- 
tendent, to have evaporated fruit present an 
attractive appearance. Everything should 
be kept clean and every factory should be 
thoroughly scrubbed all over at least once a 
week. Jelly stock should be bone dry, and 
evaporated apples should be thoroughly 
dry, but not as dry as jelly stock. It re- 
quires careful attention to get apples dry 
and not scorched, nor so extremely dry that 
ihey will not come into pliable packing 
condition in about twenty-four hours. 
Another point we wish to impress on factory 
men, be sure your evaporated apple room 
and bins are thoroughly dusted and wiped 
with wet cloth before putting in fruit, also 
your fruit trays or frames. Never tread on 
evaporated apples with feet. We had sev- 
eral lots of apples the past year that we 
found almost impossible to sell at aU, have 
some on hand yet and sold those we did dis- 
pose of at great discount, and for the only 
reason that they were dirty and mussy 
looking from dirty fruit rooms and dirty 
handling. Evaporated apples should be al- 
wajs white and clean. People who find it 
necessary to eat dirt can buy common 
sun-dried, which are usually sufficiently 
dirty to satisfy any propensities in that di- 
rection. 

In our large sales of the past year the 
best grade of fruit in appearance, as far as 
the manufacturer was concerned, and for 
which we received the most money, came 
from our large Missouri factories. They 
use better apples and take greater pains in 
preparing and handling fruit. There should 
be greater uniformity in packing and grad- 
ing fruit, and if factories would pack with 
reference to about four grades (they ought 
not to make the lower grades however), it 
would be better for trade — say, fancy, 
choice, prime and common. 

Fancy. To be all white rings, well cored 
and trimmed, made from good apples of 
the size of choice packing apples. 

Choice. To be all rings and pieces, well 
cored and trimmed, containing no fine 
pieces, and made of good apples of various 
sizes suitable for evaporation. 

Prime. To be made of any apples cap- 
able of evaporation, fairly cored and trim- 
med, and not over 25 per cent, off in color. 

Common. To be apples badly cored and 
trimmed, and handled generally, and from 
25 to 50 per cent, off in color. 

If all factories would approximate to- 
wards such grading and mark boxes accord- 
ingly, it would assist the trade in selling. 
Always brand box also, so that dealer may 
know which is top. 

♦«♦ 

Native Grapes. — Samuel Miller, of Mis- 
souri, says the Pocklington is the most 
showy of the white grapes, and the Jeffer- 
son the handsomest and best among the red 
ones. 



62 



THE GRAPE. 



Grape Culture. 



The best vines are those grown from cut- 
tings havir^g two eyes, in which a single 
system of roots radiate from the lower eye 
like the spokes of a wheel, and the vine 
grows out of the top bud. One-year old 
A'ines are to be jiref erred in all cases, if first- 
class, even if two years old, root pruned and 
transplanted vines should be offered at the 
same price. 

PLANTING. 

In planting vines, the single tier of roots 
should be set as low in the ground as may 
be and keep the upper node, from which the 
vine has started, out of the ground, so that 
new roots will not grow from it. Unless 
this precaution is taken, a new upper tier of 
roots, thus encouraged to grow, will, after a 
time, usurp and displace the others, and the 
action of frost in clayey soil will gradually, 
and sometimes in a single winter, throw the 
vine out of ground and expose these upper 
roots in an injurious way, and this condition 
remains permanent. The best time of the 
year is that which occurs first, always prem- 
ising that the soil should be mellow and 
friable, and if in autumn, a shovelful of 
loam should be used so as to completely 
bury the tM'o or three buds only that are left 
upon the vine above the surface. The ear- 
lier in autumn or spring that the work is 
done, the better, providing the conditions 
are as stated. 

DISTANCES. 

The distances at which vines should be 
set will depend somewhat upon the strength 
of the soil and the mode of training adopted. 
If in all i-espects as before advised, the best 
distance is believed to be primarily, in rows 
eight feet apart with the vines six feet apart 
in the rows which perfectly run north and 
south. It will be a matter of great conven- 
ience to have the rows consist of but twen- 
ty-five vines, thus occupying 144 feet in 
length ; then by omitting one vine, a space 
of twelve feet will be left for access between 
two vineyards. If circumstances favor, or 
rather, if they seem to require, as the vines 
get age and strength, each alternate vine, 
including the two end ones in each row, 
may be removed, thus leaving twelve vines 
in each that will stand eight by twelve feet 
ai^art. 

CULTIVATION. 

Almost any hoed crop may be grown in 
the vineyard for one or two years if an 
equivalent amount of fertilization be given, 
but after this time grape vines only. Many 
and various are the implements that have 
been tried for cultivation and discarded. 
The plow is here inadmissible. Cultivation 
should be shallow, perhaps two inches is 
ample, and this should be done in a way 
that Vkill not disturb the larger roots, the 
great body of which lie from three to six 



inches deep. The last summer's experience 
has proved the one-horse " Acme " harrow 
to be exactly the thing. It is an implement 
that disturbs the soU fron one to five inches 
deep, at the will of the driver, or in hard 
ground the rider, and never cuts off the 
larger roots even if lying at the surface. 
Cultivation should begin each year as soon 
as the ground will pulverize in the spring 
and be renewed after every packing rain, 
or in the absence of rain, before a crop of 
weeds has time to show the third leai. — 
Farm Journal. 



A Walk Over the Farm. 

A white daisy ! I will pull it up and 
cover it with dirt : the seed being green, it 
will rot, but if left above ground to cure, 
it would grow. Well, well ! here are three 
more — I'll pull them. Further along — ah, 
me! here is a rod square covered with them 
and I can't stop to pull them. Bad luck to 
the fellow when he lets foul weeds get so 
plentiful that he has to pass them without 
pulling them up. Whoever don't destroy 
the first bad weeds that appear on his prem- 
ises, entails on himself and his posterity 
troubles without number. Farmers, their 
wives, sons and daughters, should study 
botany, so that they can recognize plants 
by description, and whenever a bad weed 
appears in' any locality, the people and the 
papers of that locality should put it in the 
rogue's gallery and send its picture over the 
country to put people on their guard. 
Here are oats — ostensibly oats, but Canada 
thistles are mixed with them in proportions 
varying from one-fourth to three-fourths. 
Cut when the thistles are coming into 
bloom, cured and salted a little, the whole 
make excellent fodder, especially for sheep. 
Standing till the oats and thistles are ripe, 
the mixture is an abomination that men 
and animals wish to keep clear of. Canada 
thistles, plowed under in the blow in a dry 
time, are good manure, apparently sent 
from heaven for a valuable purpose. Al- 
lowed to get ripe we readily imagine they 
come from the other place. 

Large and long experience as a farmer 
induces me to think that the terrible decline 
in field crops is more owing to the exhaustion 
of the humus, the vegetable mould of the 
soil, than to any other cause. In spite of 
all pretences and prevarications, a great 
decline in the productive capacity of the 
soil of these States has taken place. Im- 
proved varieties, improved implements, 
tillage, and commercial fertilizers, keep up 
yields, to some extent, but the aggregate of 
impoverishment is horrible and enormous. 
We must grow less grain to send abroad, 
and more to feed on the farm, and we 
must cart into the yards, and thence into 
the fields, large quantities of muck that 
kind providence has stored for use. — Hugh 
T. Brooks in Farm and Home. 



HOW TO KEEP FRUIT. 



m 



Preservation ot Fruits. 



The first picking of apples is usually the 
best and ought to be laid aside for winter 
use. The second gathering— for apples are 
rarely twice hand-picked— should be sorted 
out, the least injured ones laid aside and 
then preserved, and those most injured used 
at once. When cider is made at home the 
same rules hold good. Work up those 
apples that look least likely to keep. The 
care needed for apples is doubly necessary 
for pears, as they are more juicy and less 
liable to resist the rough handling or an 
uneven temperature. When fruits are first 
gathered, they, as it is technically ex- 
pressed, sweat— that is, they exude their 
superabundant moisture. 1. If this mois- 
ture be carefully removed twice, and the 
fruit neatly wrapped in paper, then stored 
in an atmosphere that is xmiform and mod- 
erate, it will keep with ease far into the 
next year. It is also necessary from week 
to week to enter the fruit room, which 
should not be allowed to become too damp 
on any account, as damp speedily destroys 
vegetable matter, and look over the rows of 
fruit. This can be done by taking up a 
pear or apple here and there at regular 
intervals and examining its state, and then 
replacing it if all is found safe, rejecting it 
if it is found unsound. 

In harvesting small fruits, care must be 
had to collect them in dry weather; other- 
wise they will require more sugar and more 
time in preserving, and likewise be less cer- 
tain to keep well. Still fruit — that is, 
apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, and such 
like— bear to be preserved when only 
slightly pinked. Quinces ought to be 
canned or made into consistent preserves 
about one month after having been har- 
vested. The saccharine matter in the fruit 
is set by that time. 

The harvesting of nuts is a small matter, 
yet annually bushels of nuts are lost by 
storing them in a damp condition in frozen 
cellars or over-heated closets. In the nut- 
ting season, immediately after the slight 
frosts, all nuts should be gathered, the 
husks removed and the nuts allowed to 
remain exposed to the open air, but under 
shelter from rains or severe frosts. About 
the first of December all nuts should be 
dry enough to store; they may then safely 
lie three inches deep on the floor of a well- 
ventilated garret. A cellar is the worst 
possible place to store fraits in. As every 
cellar is below the surface, it is more or 
less damp, if not artificially heated,^ and 
artificial .heat is expensive, and dampness 
is strongly antagonistic to safe keeping of 
any vegetable matter. 

The best manner of keeping grapes fresh 
for winter use is that method pursued in 
Spain, namely: to pack the entire clusters 
in thick, open-mouthed stoneware jars, lay- 
ing dry, putting fresh, hard wood sawdust 
between them so thickly as to fill up all 



interstices; then to place the jars in a cool 
and even atmosphere, excluding all light. 
— Tribune and Farmer. 

[Is this a fact, or do the cool apples 
cause the air to condense, the same as the 
ice pitcher ? Some people hold that damp 
cellars are the best for storing apples, even 
where a foot or more water stands on the 
cellar bottom. — Editor Fruit Gromtbr.] 



Prices for Fruits. 

The Chicago Tribune is of the opinion 
that the prices of fruit will never be low 
again in this country. The facilities of 
transportation are so abundant and the for- 
eign demand for evaporated fruit so con- 
stant and increasing that fruit-growing in 
the United States may be considered estab- 
lished as a paying business "while 
grass grows and water runs." Thus the 
production of standard fruit is an increas- 
ing business, and not only seedsmen and 
nurserymen are profiting from it, but those 
who give most attention to orchards, vine- 
yards, berry gardens, etc. , find their inter- 
ests rapidly on the increase. Our railroads 
carry fruits and their products hundreds of 
miles, and render possible the cultivation of 
flourishing orchards on hitherto isolated 
hills which were abandoned to the wilder- 
ness. Dried fruit is wanted in most foreign 
countries. Canned fruit is carried from our 
great seaports to "the end of the earth," 
and profitably sold. Many of the European 
peasants use our jams instead of butter on 
their bread. Dehydrated C' evaporated 
fruit, better than all other kinds, is of gen- 
eral acceptance wherever offered, and 
valued equally with the fresh products. 
Within the last ten years the amount of 
raw fruit brought into England from the 
United States is something astonishuig. In 
1871 there were but 56,441 bushels, valued 
at £40,604; but in 1883 there were 1,065,076 
received in Great Britain from this country, 
worth £387,190, or $1,881,734.40. The out- 
look for the American frUit grower is most 
favorable, and those of the rising genera- 
tion who have a fancy for the business may 
enter upon it with confidence that their 
enlightened efforts will be crowned with 



Parallels in Fruits. — There are cer- 
tain resemblances in varieties of the differ- 
ent kinds of fruit, which are interesting to 
note. The Baldwin among apples, the 
Bartlett in pears, the Crawford in peaches, 
the Lumbard in plums, and the Concord 
among grapes, hold a similarity in position. 
The Seckel pear, the Delaware grape, and 
the Green Gage plum have a certain simi- 
larity, being small in size and excellent in 
quality. Formerly the Wilson strawberry 
was as widely popular as the Concord grape 
but lately the Crescent and some other sorts 
are crowding it down. 



64 



THE PEAR ORCHARD. 



Experimental Pear Orchard. 



BY SAMUEL C. MOON IN THE FARM JOURNAL. 

I herewith give the record of an experi- 
mental pear orchard in which over fifty of 
the most popular and highly recommended 
varieties were planted says : " My father 
started this orchard about thirty years ago 
and there have been occasional additions 
made down to the present time. The char- 
acter of the soil is a fine rich sandy loam. 
Most of these varieties are still advertised 
and recommended in nursery catalogues. 
I give the result of experience with them in 
Eastern Bucks County, thirty miles north 
of Philadelphia, for the benefit of the 
readers. 

The varieties which possess superior merit 
and have been very profitable, can be 
counted on the fingers. I would name 
Beurre Giffard, Buffum, Bartlett, Sheldon 
and Rutter, as being the most profitable. 
And as the second five, Early Catherine, 
Doyenne D'Ete, Abbott, Seckel, Natural or 
Choke. 

I have always found a good market for 
fruit near home, in Trenton, N. J., and sell 
whatever grows on the trees ; large ani 
smaU, good, fair and indifferent. Where 
fruit can be disposed of in this w ay, with- 
out much expense for the freight, commis- 
sion, etc., almost any kind of fruit trees (if 
not totally barren ) will be profitable ; that 
is, they will more than pay for the land 
which they occupy, but the pears which are 
really valuable for the majority of the plant- 
ers are very few. 

The first and most essential requisite for 
a tree to be valuable, is productiveness • 
second, size and appearance of fruit ; third, 
tim.e of ripening ; very early and very late 
fruit bringing the highest price ; fourth, 
quality of fruit. Fine looking fruit will 
command a fair price, even in a glutted 
market, regardless of its quality, when 
small or unattractive stock, although of the 
finest flavor, will go begging for a market, 
or rot. 

Nearly every variety named in this list 
has been affected, more or less, with 
"blight" at some period. Those which 
have suffered least from it are Beurre Gif- 
fard, Buffum, Sheldon, Rutter, Chinese 
Sand and natural fruit. 

Those which have suffered most are 
Beurre D'Anjou, Lawrence and Vicar of 
Winkfield. 

The only remedy that I know for blight 
is to remove the injured branch and burn 
it ; keep the tree growing vigorously and 
let it repair the loss. If a tree dies plant 
another ; but " don't " grub out an old pear 
root while there is life in it. It will send 
up a sucker that will soon commence bear- 
ing or form an excellent stock for grafting. 

Pear trees seldom need trimming after 
they get to bearing, except cutting out dead 
wood, if there is any. Beurre Giffard and 



Manning's Elizabeth, two of the best pears, 
and some others, are feeble growers while 
young, requiring several years to come into 
bearing ; but are vigorous and soon become 
productive if worked into the top of a 
thrifty large tree. 

I believe the best condition for a pear 
orchard is to keep the land in sod and never 
plow it, but not allow the grass to grow 
within two or three feet of the trunks of 
the trees ; keep the circle mulched with 
manure, leaves or stones. Manure the land 
liberally once in three or four years . Allow 
hogs to root in the orchard and devour all 
the defective fruit. Seckel pears especially 
are large, fairer, and higher colored when 
grown in sod than in cultivated land. 



Sending- Plants by Mail. 

So much progress has been made by nur- 
serymen and florists that now it is compara- 
tively an easy matter to send plants any 
reasonable distance by mail with perfect 
safety. Of course, such plants reqiiii-e care- 
ful packing ; not only must they be kept 
moist, but they must be packed so as to in- 
sure them against damage in handling while 
in the maU. Mail pouches do not always 
receive the kindest treatment in the world, 
and unless packages are well packed serious 
damage will result. Testing as I do a 
large number of varieties, I receive 
a large number of packages through the 
mail, and uniformly have received them in 
good condition. The first essential in hav- 
ing plants live is to keep the roots damp and 
uninjured. For this purpose moss is used ; 
over this was generally placed two or three 
layers of oiled paper, and then over this 
stout wrapping paper, each wrapper being- 
well tied on, and in this way packages came 
through long distances without injury. I 
had occasion to send to Chambersburg, Pa. , 
for a collection of roses ; they came as nice 
and fresh as though they were just out of 
the ground. They were packed first in damp 
moss, then a layer of oiled paper ; the pack- 
age in this condition was put in a stout 
pasteboard tube and then wrapped with 
wrapping-paper, on which was the address. 
These must have been three or four days on 
the road, giving them every advantage of 
close connection, and yet were in first-class 
condition, the leaves fresh and green. They 
were set out and grew right along. Many 
are deteiTed from purchasing plants from the 
fear of their not being able to come long dis- 
tances through the maQ without injury, 
but my experience is that with tlje present 
plan and knowledge of doing the M'ork of 
packing this risk is reduced to a minimum. 
At any rate, so far as my experience is con- 
cerned, I have always had good success 
with such plants if proper care were given 
them after they w^ere received. 

N. J. Shepherd. 
In Germantonm Telegraph. 



o 



^FICK o 



^ 






GSEEN'S NURSMY Co., 

Rochester. N. Y. 




Xemaha Black Raspberry. 

This variety j^riginated with Hon. Robert 
Purnas, of Nebraska. Mr. Furnas says it has 
proved to be hardier tlian Gregg with him, 
and a meritorious variety. We have fruit- 
ed it here two seasons. It has proved hardy, 
vigorous, of unsurpassed size and produc- 
tive. Its season is even later than the Gregg. 



It is a firm berry, of good quality. Previous 
to the Nemaha we have had no late variety 
that is hardy. Early varieties ripen their 
Tvood and stop grow^ing early, going into 
winter in good condition. But Gregg and 
Mammoth Cluster mature the wood and 
hold their leaves very late, and winter finds 
them with soft and tender wood, and they 
often get injured by severe weather. Es- 



GREEN'S NURSERY CO., ROCHESTER, N. Y. 



J)ecially is this the case on clayey, latish soil. 
On sandy soil they are more hardy. If 
Nemaha proves to be more hardy, it will be 
a great gain, and Mr. Furnas is very positive 
that it is. Considering the large number of 
varieties of black caps, I should hesitate be- 
fore introducing another, without more 
thorough testing, but feel that Mr. Furnas' 
statements should have much weight. Vis- 
itors who have seen the Nemaha on our 
grounds have said that it was the largest of 
all. Indeed I have picked larger specimens 
from it than from any other, yet I do not 
think the average size larger than Gregg. 
It is doubtful if we get a variety much 
larger. Perhaps we ought to be satisfied 
with such a giant. 



We are Joint Owners 



MARLBORO' RASPBERRY 



Being shareholders of the Marlboro' Raspberry we 
are propasra'ing it and are prepared to furnish fine 
plants at the following prices : Retail, $i each ; $5 for 
6, %g for 12, $12. so for 25, $18 for 50, $-25 for 100. 
Wholesale rates on application. 

Description as given by the originator : It is the 
largest grower, with stronger canes and side arms than 
any known variety. After being tied to the stakes all 
Winter, having no protection, the branches from the 
extreme terminal buds at the height of eleven feet,have - 
borne as fine fruit as any other down the cane. It is 
hardy in the fullest sense. The side branches are two 
to three feet long, with clusters occuring on short 
joints more than half way down, and are of unusual 
strength, bending with a heavy load and not breaking. 
The great size of its dark-gretn foliage is the means of 
its early, regular and late bearing, and extraordinary 
size of fruit, which is one-quarter larger than the old 
Htcdson River Antiverp. The berries average three- 
quarters of an inch in diameter, and when not retarded 

X'--/..f ,^.^^7. '^/j^^-.. 




by long and severe drouth, one-third of ihem will 
measure an inch. In color a bright crimson, and un- 
like others, does not lose its brilliancy when over ripe. 
This has been seen and stated by the A inerican Agri- 
culturist, Rural Nezv Yorker, and scores of others. It 
does not contain the peculiar musky aroma of the Ant- 
xverp, and is passed upon by all as delicious in flavor. 
Unlike any other, it will remain four days on the 
bushes after ripe, a.nd is then marketable. Growers 
here have picked them from the ground and declared 
they were fit for market. In quantity of fruit it ex- 
ceeds any variety we have ever handled. We estimate 
the returns of an acre of this berry, well cared for, at 
$1,000. Old growers here range the profits much 
liigher. The old .i iitii',:r/>, when in its prime, has 



done better • and now, at a time when there is no other 
/?aj/i5^r?-;)/ before the country which will fill the void 
made by the loss of the A nttverp, and as it is known 
that a Raspberry with requisite qualities will yield a 
greater profit from a given quantity of land than any 
other fruit, and as every point we have given above 
can be verified by hundreds of visitors froin this berry 
section, and also from a.\3roa.d, Antwerp growers here 
are justified in their ready remarks that it is the " best 
variety " ihey ever knew. Send for Catalogue. 
GREEN'S NURSERY CO., 

Box 562, Rochester, N. Y. 

[TrarmnniT 

For Sale Cheap. 

We have some extra electrotypes of the following 
fruits left over. If you want any of them, send for 
prices. Keifer Pear, Peen-To Peach, Tyler Rrasp- 
berry. Picking Strawberries, Lost Ruby, James Vick 
Strawberry, Roses, Blackberries, Grape Arbor, Lee's 
Black Currant, Bidwell Strawberry, Beebe's Golden 
Raspberry, Shaffer's Colossal Rnspberry, Manchester 
Strawberry, Fay's Prolific Currant, Cuthbert Rasp- 
berrp, Wheatland Peach, Schuinaker Peach, Gregg 
Raspberry, Ohio Raspberry, Daniel Boon Strawberry, 
Nemaha Raspberry, Hayes Grape, and many others. 
GREEN'S NURSERY CO., 

Box 561, Rochester, N.. Y) 

PEIOES for TKEES, PLANTS, &c. 

FOR SPRING OF 1885, 



Apple Trees — Stark, Talm an Sweet, Early Harvest, 
Red Astrachan, Duchesse, Autumn Strawberry, M\in- 
son Sweet, Maiden's Blush, N. Spy, Pewaukee, Gold- 
en Russet, Wealthy, Ben. Davis, Grimes' Golden,Wag- 
ener, Whitney No. 20, Chenango Strawberry, Wine 
Sap, Famaese. First-class, 6 feet, 15c. each. First- 
class. 4 to 5 feet, IOC. each. Lord Nelson, 25c. For 
other rare varieties see catalogue. We have a rare col- 
ection. 

Pears — Kieffer, 35c. to 75c. Largest standard vari- 
ties 60c. ; one vear, 2 to 4 feet, 25c.; 12 to 20 inches, 15c. 
Dwarf Pears 25 to 50 cents each. 

Cherries — 30c. to 50c. 

Plums — 25c. 

Peaches— $4 to $8 per 100. 

Orange Quinces — 25 cents. Champion, 40 cents. 

Meech's Prolific Quinces— $1.50 each. 

Russian Mulberry — 12 to 20 incites, 50 cents per 12 ; 
3 to 4 feet, 25 cents each. 

Downing Mulberry — Four feet, 50 cents. Larger, 
75 cents. 

Hardy Rose Bushes — 2=; cents. 

PRICES FOR THE NEWER GRAPES. 

Pocklington, Moore's Early, Dutchess, Lady, Pren- 
tiss, Lady Washington, Cottage, strong, one year, 30c.; 
two years 50c. each. Vergennes, Early Victor, 40c. 
and 60c. each Hayes' Early, superior quality, white. 
August Giant, large, very early, good quality. Amber 
Queen, reddish yellow, early, very good. Centennial, 
reddish white, good. These last four are offered now 
for the first time. Price, one year, strong, 60c.; two 
years, $1.00 each. 

Niagara Grape— Two years, strong. $2 each. 

Delaware, Agawam, Lindley, Salem, Worden, Per- 
kins, Hartford, Concord, extra strong, two year, 15 
cents each. For prices of other grape vines and descrip- 
tions, see catalogue. 

Strawberries — Jas. Vick, Daniel Boone, Manches- 
ter, Bidwell, Mt. Vernon, Lenig's White, Sucker State, 
Primo, Wilson, Finches' Prolific, Sharpless, Cumber- 
land, Crescent, Kentucky, Charles Downing, Windsor 
Chief, Old Iron Clad (Phelps' SeedHng), Pipers' Seed- 
ling, Big Bob, Nigh's Superb, 25c per 12 ; 75c per 100. 
Jersey Queen, Woodruff's, Atlantic, 50c per 12 ; $1 per 
100. Parry, $2 per 12 ; $12 per 100. Cornelia, $2 per 
12; $15 per 100. 

Red Raspberries— Cuthbert. Lost Rubies, Reliance, 
Early Prolific, 25c per 12 ; $1 per 100 ; $10 per 1000. 
Shaffer's Colossal (our most profitable red raspberry) 



GREEN'S NURSERY CO., ROCHESTER, N. Y. 



soc per 12 ; $2 per 100; $18 per 1000. Hansell, $1 per 
12 ; $6.00. Superb, Mont Clair, soc^per 12. Crimson 
Beauty, 750. per 12 " 
75c. per 12 




per 100. ■ Brinckle's Orange, 

Marlboro^The most profitable 
of all, $1 each ; 6 for $5 ; 12 for $9; 
$25 per 100. Caroline (yellow) 
Beebe's Golden, 50c. per 12; $2.50 
per 100. 

Black Raspberries — 
Tyler, Souhegan, Ohio, 
Gregg, 25 cents per 12 ; 
$1 per 100. Nemaha, $2 
per 12, |io per 100, |8o 
per 1000. 

Blackberries — Stone's 
Hardy, 75c. per 12; $4 per 
100. Agawam, Taylor's Wachu- 
setts. Early Harvest, 75 cents per 
$2 per 100. Snyder, Kittatin- 
nyi etc., 50 cents per 12; $1.50 
MARLBORO. per 100. Early Cluster, 40 cents 

•each; $4 per 12. Wilson, Jr., 30 cents each; I3 
per 12. 

Currants — Fay's Prolific (strong plants), 35 cents 
each. Victoria, Cherry, White (irape, Lee's New 
Black Currant, etc., 50 cents per 12 ; $3.50 per 100. 

Gooseberries — Downing, Smith's, $1.00 per 12. 
Houghton, 50 cents perT2. All two years, strong. 

For other Fruits and Ornamentals, send for Cata- 
logue, sent free on application, or with chrorao col- 
ored plate for five cents. The new book, " How to 
Propagate and Grow Fruits," will be sent free to all 
ordering plants or trees to the value of $1 or more. 
Plants or trees will be sent by express, with orders to 
collect dues on delivery, providing one-fourth of the 
amount of bill is paid in advance. Address, 

GREEN'S NURSERY CO., 

Box 562, Rochester, N. Y. 

JUST PUBLISHED. 

''How to Propagate and 
Grow Fruit." 

BY CHARLES A. GREEN. 



It Contains over Fifty Illustrations and 

Two Beautiful Lithographic Colored 

Fruit Plates. 




Tips of Raspberry Layered. 

a sixty-four page book, price fifty cents, telling how 
to propagate and multiply Strawberries, Raspberries, 
Blackberries, currants. Gooseberries, Grapes, Quince, 
Peach, Apricot, Plum, Cherry, Pear and Apple. It 
tells how to lay out a garden' or fruit farm, how to 
plant, cultivate and trim, and all about the best methods 
of successful fruit growing up to this date. 

OVER ONE HUNDRED TOPICS 

are discused by those who are fitted by experience to 
advice. Price fifty cents by mail post paid. 



TO AGENTS AND TREE DEALERS. 

We receive numerous applications from those who 
desire to sell our trees and plants. We would be glad 
to have some person in every town sell our stock, but 
me employ no agents. Our method is this :— Take or- 
ders in your locality at prices something in advance of 
our catalogue prices— this is necessary for you will 
have something to pay for freight. After yon have 
made some sales, send us a list of the items sold , We 
will attach the lowest wholesale price possible, and 
return it for your approval. If prices are satisfactory 
send on your order, always \erv earln and mark it 
dealer's order, and we will give it immediate atten- 
tion. 

Your outfit (colored plate book with 35 plates, order 
book, etc.,) we can. furnish for $4.00. 

Do NOT THINK that you can, without experience, go 
from house to house and sell rapidly right and left. 
Nothing is accomplished without work, and good 
agents often go all day and sell nothing, ;et the next 
day sell enough to make the week's or month's average 
good. Most agents fail the first few days by getting 
discouraged. If you begin by selling a few the first 
season, the business will gradually increase until your 
get a reputation and you will find yourself getting an 
extensive trade. 

iPeople about to order of us will do well to look 
about and see if they cannot mfluence some sales to 
their neighbors, and order all senf at once. Our re- 
tail prices are not half so high as agents sell at, thus 
you will be doing them a favor by securing good stock, 
true to name, at less than they could buy elsewhere. 

Remember that large standard Pear, Cherry and 
Baldwin and Careening apple trees are very .scarce and 
high-priced . Most agents write us for a wholesale list 
to begin with. This does not amount to much as all 
depends on the amount of your order,and the amount of 
stock on hand at the time your order comes. Rely on 
a I ail profit if you sell at an advace over our catalogue 
rates. GREEN'S NURSERY CO, 

Box, 562. Rochester, N. Y. 

Green's New Catalogue and Hints 

on Fruit Cvilture FREE I 

It contains more information 

than any other ever published. 

'' is a COMPI.ETE GUIDE 

for growing all kinds of 

fruits. A sample copy of 

that spriglitly paper, 




m 



iwer 



Illustrated, edited b}' 

CHAS. A GREEN, 

will also be sent free on applica- 
tion. We offer a fine stock of 
vines, plants, and trees, at 1on\- 
.MARLBORO. prices. Tlie great Marlboro 

Raspberry, Kieffer Pear and Lord Nelson Apple are 
specialties. ^Send your address on a postal card for 
our Catalogue and paper, both free. Address, 
dSKEEN'S NTTISEKY CO., Eox 5C2, Rochester, >'. T. 



larllioro Easplierry CoiiiMnalion Offers. 

The person ordering any one of these four combina- 
tions is entitled to the new book, " How to Propagate 
and Grow Fruit." 

1 Marlboro Raspberry ] 

6 Nemaha Black Cap 

10 Crimson Beauty Raspberry 

10 Shaffer's Colossal Raspberry... 

6 Marlboro Raspberry 

10 Crimson Beauty Raspberry.... 
10 Shaffer's Colossal Raspberries. 

6 Nemaha Black Cap 

I Duchess Grape, white 

I Pocklington Grape, white 

I Prentiss Grape, white 

I Cottage Grape, early black 

I Agawam Grape, early red 

12 Marlboro Raspberry 

12 Hansell Raspberry 

12 Crimson Beauty 

6 Nemaha Raspberry 

50 Mrs^ Garfield Strawberry 

I Pocklington Grape 

I Duchess Grape 

I Fay's Prolific Currant 



\ $2.00 



$6.00 



$ U .00 



green: S NURSERY CO., ROCHESTER. N. Y. 



50 Marlboro Raspberry 

100 Hansel! Raspberry 

100 Crimson Beauty Raspberry \ $25>00 

12 Nemaha Raspberry | 

50 Shaffer's Colossal Raspberry J 

For all other Small Fruits, Trees and Vines, send for 
our Descriptive Catalogue. 

GREEN'S NUKSEBY CO., 
Boy 568, Rochester, N. Y. 

CLUBBING LIST. 

Two Papers and a Book for the Price of 
One Paper. 

These prices include a year's subscription to the 
FRUIT GROWER and to a copy of the New Book, 
"How to Propagate and Grow Fruit," and to the 
paper named. Any American publication furnished 
at reduced rate. 

American Agriculturist, $1.25; American Field. $3.25; 
American Poultry Yard, ^11.25; American Garden, $1.; 
American Rural Home (new) $1.; Bee Journal, (week- 
ly) $2.10; Bee Journal (monthly), $1.10; Bee Keeper's 
Magazine, $i.- Cultivator and Country Gentleman, 
$2.25; Colman's Rural World, $1.50; Century Maga- 
eine, $3.75; Dairy and Farm Journal, 50c; Drainage and 
Farm Journal, $i . ; Demorest's Magazine, $2.; Empirf 
State Agriculturist. 60c ; Farmer's Review, $1.25 ; 
Farming World, 750; Farmer's Home, 60c; Farm Im- 
Dlemeni, 75c; Farmer and Fruit Grower, $(.20; Farmer 
nd Manufacturer, 6oc; Forest, Forge and Farm, 75c ; 

armer's Companion, 6oc ; Florida Despatch, $1.75 ; 
> irm Economist, 60c; Farm and Fireside (Ohio), 75; 
Fe.rm and Fireside (N. C), $1 25 ; Farmer's Home 
Journal, $1.25; Farmer's Advocate, $1.; Farm Journal, 
Soc; Godey's Lady Book, $2 ; Gardener's Monthly, 
Si. 65; Home and Farm, 75c; Home Farm, $1.50; Hus- 
bandman (Elmira), $1.15; Harper's Weekly, $3.50 ; 
Harper's Monthly Magazine, $3.50; Household, (Brat- 
tleboro) $1.; Iowa Farmer, 75c; Indiana Farmer, $1.60; 
Journal of Agriculture, $ ..50; Kansas Beekeeper ,$1.25; 
Kansas Farmer, $1.40; Kansas Spirit, goc; Kansas Ag- 
riculturist, ^^ 1.50; Ladies' Floral Cabinet, $1.20; Live 
Stock Monthly, 75c ; Labor World, $2.00; Maryland 
Farmer, ft. ; Mirror and Farmer, $1 05 ; Nebraska 
Farmer, $1.20; New York Tribune, $1.25; National 
Poultry Monitor, $1.05; Orange County Farmer, Si. 55; 
Ohio Farmer, $1.25; Ontario Hornet, 5oc; Oregon Col- 
onist, 65c ; Purdy's Fruit Recorder, 75c ; Poultry 
World, $1.; Prairie Farmer, "$1.60; Poultry Nation, 75c ; 
Poultry Messenger, 60c; PI. nter's Journal, $1.75; Poul- 
try Advertiser, 60c ; Poultry Monthly, $1.05 ; Poultry 
Bulletin, ,$1.50: Poultry and Farm Journal, $1.; Rural 
Record, 75c; Roanoke Patron, 7sc; Rural Calif ornian, 
$1.50: Rural New Yorker, $2.25 ; Seed Time and Har- 
vest, 50c; South and West, 60c; Southern Planter. $.-.2.5; 
Southern Cultivator, $1.25; Sunny South, $1.; Tribune 
and Farmer, $t.; Vick's Monthly Magazine. $1.10: 
Western Rural (and seeds), $2.; 'Wallace's Monthly, 
,$2. -'5; Western Cultivator, 75c; Western Agriculturist 
$1.; Western Plowman, 6oc; Western Horticulturist 
6sc ; Youth's Companion (new subscribers) fi.50 
Youth's Companions (renewals) $2.00; American Cul- 
tivator, Boston, 2.50. 

GREEN'S FRUIT GROWEJl. 

Box 562, Rochester, N. Y. 

TmiTEMT! 

$6 Per Bushel. 
Apple, 

Pear, 

Cherry 

and Plum 
Seedings at Low Prices. 

GREENS' NURSERY CO., 

Box 562, - - Rochester, N, Y. 

Meecli's Prolific Quince. 

There has been some doubt in the minds 
of a few as to this being a new variety. 
While visiting Newburg, I took particular 
pains to get Mr. Downing's -^dew regarding 
this, and he appeared to liave no doubt that 
it was a new variety. He says in a letter 



to the introducers : " It is certainly a 
promising variety." 

The bark of the past season's growth is of 
a yellowish brown color unlike that of most 
quinces. 

Mr. P. M. Augur, of the Connecticut 
Board of Agriculture, a well known -pomo- 
logist says : 

The Meech's Quince exhibited at the 
Waterbury meeting of the Board of Agricul- 
ture, struck my attention at once. The pho- 
tographs showing the growth of the trees 
and their prolific bearing were indeed re- 
markable ; and from the testimony of com- 
mission dealers who have sold the fruit, I 
am led to belive it must be a remarkable 
fruit. I do not hesitate to give it trial a» 
soon as it is placed in market. I believe it 
ivill he a great acquisition. 

Last October I had the pleasure of visiting 
the grounds of the Rev. W. W. Meech, of 
this place, where he showed me nearly 100 
Quince trees loaded with very fine fruit, re- 
markably fair, and of uniform size, and a 
deep rich orange color. Mr. Meech is quite 
confident that he has in this fruit a new 
variety of quince, which he has named 
"Meech's Prolific." His method of trim- 
ming and cultivating the quince, as well as 
this particular variety of the fruit, is es- 
pecially worthy the notice of those about to 
grow the quince. S. P. Tomlingson, Pres. 
Vineland Fruit-Grower's Union. Price, 
,$1. 50 ea ch. 

PREMIUM LIST T 

FOR. eo OEKTTS 

WE WILL MAIL YOU 

G REEN'S F RUIT G ROWER 

ONE YEAR, also the new book, " How to 
Propagate aiid Grow Fruits," and either 
of the following premiums. Please 
mention the one you select dj/ 
number only : 
No. I — 3 Plants of Nemaha new Black Rasp- 
berry. 
No. 2—6 Shaffer's Colossal Raspberries. 
No. 3—6 Mrs. Garfield and 6 Daniel Boone 

Strawberry Plants. 
No. 4 — 6 Daisy Miller and 6 Woodruff No. i 

Strawberry plants. 
No. 5 — I Pocklington white Grape and i Cot- 
tage early black Grape. 
No. 6—6 plants Lee's Prolific New Black 

Currant. 
No. 7 -6 plants of White Grape Currant. 
No. 8 — 6 plants of Cherry Currant. 
No. 9—1 Fay's Prolific New Red Currant. 
1 No. 10—4 plants of Hansel Red Raspberry. 
I No. II — 4 Kieffer Pear Trees in dormant bud. 
No. 12— I Marlboro' New Red Raspberry, 
the greatestof all, and one sUbscrip- 
to Fruit Grower, also the new 
Book, "How to Propagate and Grow 
Fruit." all by mail for.$i.oo 
NO TICE — These offers are good only if 
accepted now. Plants are sent to you by mail 
postage paid by us. Now or later. 

GREEN' FRUIT GROWER, 

Box 562, Rochester, N. Y. 



Green's Fruit Grower, 

A PAPER DEVOTED TO GARDENiTTg AND FRUIT FARMING. 
PRICE 50 CENTS PER YEAR. 

EDITED BY CHAS. A. GREEN. 




MARLBORO RASPBERRY IS ONE OF THE PREMIUMS GIVEN 
WITH OUR PAPER. 



This paper is edited by a man who has 
devoted many yeais to practical fruit 
growing who lives on a 134 acre fruit 
farm, and knows from experience 
whereof he speaks. Every issue of the 
Fruit Grower is intended to be worth 
the cost for a year. But we offer Pre- 
miums of Plants and Books to each 
subscriber fully as valuable as the paper. 



SSMD F0B A FBll SmMPLl COPY, 

vitu^ information regarding these Premiums. We have sent out many valuable New 
fub?cribe?s. P""^^"'^^ *h^* have often been worth a hundred dollars ?o IniivTdS 
WE AIM TO BE IN ADVANCE OF THE TIMES. 



|^"Send for Sample Copy. 



Address, GREEN'S FRUIT GROWER, 

Box 563, Rocliester, W. Y. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 








ft I ■•Wat '« , - " w?-- T 



V'U^*"*'''**' 










I' 



' 



LOWER FALLS, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 



LIBRARY OF 



DDDDTE 



Holli: 
p 



^ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDDmE^bHSl 



HoUingCT Corp. 
pH8.5 



